PHILADELPHIA (September 7, 2017) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District awarded a contract to Weeks Marine Inc. for $9.5 million to repair the dune and berm project on Brigantine Island. The project is a joint effort of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Work will involve dredging more than 730,000 cubic yards of sand from an approved 89 acre sand borrow site just offshore of Brigantine. Sand will be pumped through a series of pipes and placed on the beach from approximately 1,100 feet north of the end of the promenade to Roosevelt Boulevard. All of the sand will be placed within the limits of the City of Brigantine – no sand will be placed in the North Brigantine Natural Area.
The dune, built to elevation 10, will be repaired in certain areas and the beach will be widened to more than 100 feet along 1.8 miles of coastline. The project also includes the planting of approximately 4,260 sq. feet of dune grass, installation of sand fencing, and repairs of dune crossover/access points. Depending on the condition of the beach based on surveys, the Army Corps could exercise contract options to place additional sand as part of the project (up to 915,000 cubic yards) and extend the project south to 14th Street South. The total cost for the base contract and all options is $11.2 million.
The Brigantine Island Coastal Storm Risk Management project was initially constructed in February of 2006 and repaired in 2011 and 2013. The project was damaged by recent storms including a Nor’easter in October of 2015 and Hurricane Joaquin in January of 2016.
The current base contract is 100 percent federally funded through the Army Corps’ Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies program. Contract options will be cost-shared between the Federal government and the State of New Jersey. Following the completion of repair work, the project is eligible for continued periodic nourishment. The project is designed to reduce storm damages to infrastructure.
Release no. 17-023