Beach Project to Give Sea Isle's Shoreline a Makeover

By MADDY VITALE Hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sand will be deposited onto the beaches of Sea Isle City and dunes will be repaired beginning this fall in a major beach replenishment project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The project, which will be done under one contract, will also restore eroded beaches in Ocean City and Strathmere. Bids for the project originally were to be opened Sept. 17, but there was a slight delay on a technicality. The bids were held Monday. “At this point, we will review the bids,” said Steve Rochette, public affairs officer for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District. The bid figures will not be released at this time. “We're still in the process of reviewing the bid information,” Rochette explained. He said the contract will likely be awarded by Sept. 30. “These projects are designed to reduce the risk of storm damage,” Rochette explained. “We conduct periodic nourishment to maintain the beaches.” Rochette said the plan is designed to absorb the energy of waves during coastal storms. Repairing the dunes helps to protect the property and infrastructure on the other side, including homes, businesses and roads, he added. Along with pumping fresh sand on the beaches, the Army Corps of Engineers will also repair dunes and dune fencing. (Photo courtesy Sue Williamson) City Business Administrator George Savastano said of Sea Isle's shoreline, “Overall, I think the beaches are in good shape.” However, he noted that there are some areas of town that he called “hot spots,” where there is more serious beach erosion. The hotspots are some of the downtown beaches and the far south end in the streets running from the 80s to the 90s in the Townsends Inlet section, he said. The replenishment project includes two sections of Sea Isle, the downtown beaches generally running from 28th Street to the streets in the 50s and the south end of town bordered by the streets between the 80s and 90s. Altogether, 250,000 cubic yards of fresh sand will be deposited in the downtown beaches and another 510,000 cubic yards will cover the south end. On Ludlum Island, which includes Strathmere and Sea Isle, the dune will be built up. For Sea Isle, southern Ocean City and Strathmere most of the work involves widening the beach in front of the dunes. However, in some areas the Army Corps will be repairing dunes, repairing beach access points, installing sand fence and planting dune grass, Rochette said. “There are also contract options to place additional sand and these options could be exercised depending on surveys and the condition of the beaches,” he noted. “Once we award the contract, currently estimated for Sept. 30, we would begin to coordinate with the contractor on the schedule and sequence of work.” Sue Williamson, of Sea Isle, who was a tour guide for the city's beachcombing tour, is eager for the sand replenishment project to get underway. (Photo courtesy Sue Williamson) The news that the sand will be coming to Sea Isle in a major replenishment project was welcomed by residents who live in the south end of town, where beaches have eroded enough to create cliff-like structures in some areas due to erosion. Sue and Doug Williamson moved down from their home in Media, Pa., to enjoy retirement at what used to be their summer home on 85th Street in the Townsends Inlet section. “This summer, back around the middle of May, I noticed at 85th Street I’d come down to the beach and the water was up at the dune at high tide. It got a little bit better by June and July, but the end of July, I guess from the storms, the water was way up to the dune.” So, the trip from her home to the beach on her street is basically out of the question. She said she walks to the inlet a few times a week. “Our beach is just gone. I walk up to 82nd. It really started last fall where the erosion really got bad, and it never really improved over the year,” Williamson said. She and her husband are optimistic that the major sand overhaul in their area of town will help improve the beaches for the next summer season. “It is so peaceful, and we do have beautiful, clean beaches,” Williamson said. “And we have great lifeguards. But I can’t sit on the beach at 85th Street unless it is low tide.” The eroded beach at the foot of the walkway at 85th Street is washed over by waves. (Courtesy Sue Williamson)