The Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project is gaining momentum with more and more vessels joining the fleet of workboats that are currently stationed in the area.
That’s why the Army Corps’ Jacksonville District has just released a notice asking public to use extra caution in the waterways within the Jacksonville Harbor construction area on the St. Johns River.
Recreationists need to steer clear at least 200 feet (the length of 5 city buses) from the dredging equipment. There are currently 5 dredges, 10 tug boats, 8 scows, and 4 crew boats in the Contract B construction zone, reported the Corps.
Contract B includes dredging roughly 5.7 million cubic yards of material from near the Naval Station Mayport runway, westerly to the east tip of La Baron Island.
According to USACE, the crew boats need to moor up next to the dredges, and move around the sides to load/unload people and equipment. The tugs have to pull the scows away from dredges to dispose of material in the ocean, and also moor empty vessels next to the dredges.
The Corps is urging the public to respect the construction zone restrictions and remain vigilant in the waterways.
Contract B is the second of multiple construction contracts that will deepen approximately 5 miles of the St. Johns River from its current authorized depth of 40 feet to 47 feet.
The ongoing deepening work under the Contract A will cover approximately 3 miles from the entranceway inland.