Joint Beach Fill Project Underway for Sea Isle and Avalon
SEA ISLE CITY —Major beach erosion from the fall 2009 nor’easters have resulted in an emergency joint beach fill project between Sea Isle City and Avalon. The two cities have entered into an inter-local agreement and the project is expected to begin in April of 2010. The anticipated completion date for the beach fill is June, in time for the 2010 summer season.
On Friday, January 8, the next step in the project was taken as a bid opening was held at the Avalon Borough Hall. Between the only two companies in the country that perform this work, the low bid was presented by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, LLC of Oak Brook Illinois at $10.406 million. Weeks Marine of Covington, Louisiana was the second company.
Sea Isle City will receive approximately 700,000 cubic yards of sand that will be placed on the south end beaches from 73rd Street to 94th Street. Avalon is expected to receive 500,000 cubic yards of sand that will be placed on the north end beaches from 9th Street to 26th Street. The presented bid results in a cost of $7.02 per cubic yard of sand that will be pumped onto the beaches of each city. There is also a mobilization charge of $1.982 million that will be split between Sea Isle City and Avalon for the project. The overall cost of the project for Sea Isle City will be $5.9 million, while Avalon’s share will be $4.5 million.
Both communities have applied for necessary permits from the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection. Sea Isle City introduced a funding ordinance at its Tuesday, January 12th council meeting, and Avalon’s Borough Council introduced an ordinance during its meeting on Wednesday, January 13th, that authorizes the beach fill project. Both cities will finance the cost of the beach fill project with local dollars and seek reimbursements from the state as the project progresses. Sea Isle City will be requesting a 75% reimbursement from the NJDEP in their fiscal 2011 shore protection budget.
For more information, please contact George Savastano, Business Administrator, at (609) 263-4461 x223.