ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A renourishment project for Vilano Beach will close a large section of the Surfside Park parking lot, restricting some parking access to the beach during construction.
The United States Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced that mobilization for the St. Johns County Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) project for Vilano Beach will begin Monday, August 7 and dredging will start on Thursday, August 17 lasting through March 2024.
The USACE awarded the county $20.2 million in June for the project that will renourish about three miles of shoreline in parts of south Ponte Vedra and Vilano beaches.
The beach sustained erosion from Hurricanes Matthew and Irma in 2016 and 2017. Then it was hit by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2017 following several nor’easters.
Crews will bring in offshore sand for placement along the beach. The sand placement will proceed from north to south along the length of the project template.
The Surfside Park staging area will be used to store equipment. A significant section of the parking area will be closed and fenced off to ensure public safety.
The contractor will close off active placement sections of the beach, measuring approximately 1,500 feet in length with orange safety fencing as they progress south.
As beach fill is completed, the safety fencing will be removed and those sections will be reopened for public use.
Construction will be ongoing 24 hours a day seven days a week to speed up the process as hurricane season approaches.