ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – The federal government announced it will spend up to $62 million for projects to restore beaches in St. Johns County that were damaged by a strong nor’easter that came through in November 2021.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers informed St. Johns County Commissioners of the approval earlier this week.
Those projects include the St. Johns County Shore Protection Project in St. Augustine Beach and the St. Johns County South Ponte Vedra Beach and Vilano Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Project. Erosion and evacuations as a result of the storm led to the increase in funding.
The St. Johns County Short Protection Program will add approximately 2 million cubic yards of sand on 2.5 miles of shoreline, beginning about three miles south of the St. Augustine Inlet and extending south. There is roughly $37 million of federal funding available for this project.
The St. Johns County South Ponte Vedra Beach and Vilano Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Project calls for adding approximately 1 million cubic yards of sand to 2.6 miles of shore north of the St. Augustine Inlet. Approximately $25 million in federal funding will be used for this project.
For both projects, the sand will be brought in from other places.
This is just the beginning phase. The contracts are expected to be in place by December with work starting soon after.