OCEAN CITY — After two months of around-the-clock sand pumping, temporary beach closures and heavy equipment along Ocean City's north end, a $19.5 million beach replenishment project has reached its final stretch.
Sand-pumping operations reached Seaspray Beach on Sunday, Sept. 6, the final area scheduled for work in the 2026 project, according to the city.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., the contractor performing the work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, expects to begin removing equipment Sept. 9. Mayor Jay Gillian said Friday that the overall project should be completed early this week.
The milestone comes less than a month after South Jersey NewsBeat reported that the massive sand-pumping operation had reached the Fourth Street area. At that point, aerial video showed newly placed sand extending from around the Music Pier north toward Fourth Street.
Since then, crews have continued steadily north toward Great Egg Harbor Inlet.
The project began July 7 and calls for dredging, pumping and placing more than 1.6 million cubic yards of sand on Ocean City's north-end beaches. The work extends from approximately 12th Street to the Seaview Road groin.
The Army Corps awarded the $19.5 million contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, a Houston-based marine construction company.
The project is being funded through a federal, state and local partnership. The Army Corps says construction costs are 65% federally funded and 35% non-federally funded, with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection serving as the project's non-federal sponsor.
More Than Just a Wider Beach
Although beach replenishment provides more recreational space for beachgoers, the primary purpose of the federal project is storm protection.
The new sand is pumped ashore through pipelines and graded to create an elevated beach intended to reduce the risk of storm damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure.
The sand itself comes from an offshore borrow area approximately 5,000 feet from Great Egg Harbor Inlet. The Army Corps says periodically dredging that area has an additional benefit: helping alleviate navigation problems in the inlet.
This summer's work represents the 11th renourishment of Ocean City's north end since the city entered into a 50-year agreement with the Army Corps in the early 1990s. The federal Great Egg Harbor and Peck Beach project was initially constructed in 1992 and has undergone periodic replenishment since then.
The work has been particularly visible this summer because it continued through the heart of the tourism season. Sand pumping has operated 24 hours a day, with approximately 1,000 feet of beach around the active construction zone temporarily closed at any given time. Crews constructed sand ramps over pipelines to maintain access elsewhere as the operation moved along the shoreline.
As of Sunday, the work zone had reached Seaspray Beach. Access was open at Seaview Road and beaches to the north and at Surf Road and beaches to the south.
The next sign that the summer-long project is ending should come Wednesday.
The contractor anticipates beginning to demobilize its pipes and heavy equipment Sept. 9. The city said the dune crossover at Morningside Road and a section of Beach Road will be closed for safety as equipment is removed.
The schedule remains subject to weather, equipment and other logistical delays.
But after beginning the summer near First Street and working in both directions along the north end, Ocean City's latest massive infusion of sand has now reached its final beach.
About the Author
Karen Johnson
With over 30 years of news experience in major markets like Los Angeles, Denver, and Columbus, Karen now covers our area for South Jersey NewsBeat. She also brings her articulate and conversational news delivery to WOND radio listeners every weekday. Her background includes work with the NBC Radio Network, and she thrives in fast-paced news environments.
