The pipeline is back in place. The CRAB (Coastal Research Amphibious Buggy) has been driving through the surf this weekend to scout the beach. And the hopper dredge “Liberty Island” is reportedly on her way back to Ocean City from a seven-week repair in Norfolk, Va.
All signs point to a restart of the long-awaited beach replenishment project at the southern end of Ocean City on Monday.
Work to rebuild eroded beaches between 37th and 59th streets in Ocean City began April 20 and was expected to be complete by now. But an engine failure on the Liberty Island brought the project to a standstill on May 30.
The federal Army Corps of Engineers reported to Ocean City officials last week that the Liberty Island is expected to sail from Norfolk on Sunday and resume beach replenishment operations as early as Monday. If work begins this week, the project would be on target to be complete by Sept. 9.
The delay pushes the restart of the project into the heart of the summer vacation season in the resort — from mid-July into August.
__________
Sign up for free OCNJ Daily news updates by email.
__________
The hopper dredge is a ship that pumps sand into its hold from an offshore borrow area, then travels closer to Ocean City to hook up with a pipeline that feeds the new sand onto the beach.
Crews from the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company of Oak Brook, Illinois have completed work between 37th Street and St. David’s Place (near 47th Street). The current phase of the project started at 55th Street and was moving toward St. David’s when the dredge died at 52nd Street.
The new project area appears to be set up just north of the 52nd Street beach entrance. Work will resume there and move northward toward 47th Street. The beach entrance at 51st Street (and possibly 50th Street) will be closed when work begins again.
The final phase of the project will start at 55th Street and move southward to 59th Street.
When it’s done, Ocean City will have received approximately 1.6 million cubic yards of sand on approximately 2.5 miles of beach from 37th Street to 59thStreet. The $57 million project includes Strathmere and Sea Isle City, and is funded entirely by the federal government.
