A large portion of the Surfside Park parking lot in Vilano Beach will be closed due to a renourishment project, limiting 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 will begin on August 7, with dredging commencing on August 17 and expected to continue until March 2024. The county was awarded $20.2 million in June for the project, which aims to renourish approximately three miles of shoreline in south Ponte Vedra and Vilano beaches. The beaches in this area have experienced erosion caused by hurricanes Matthew and Irma in 2016 and 2017, as well as subsequent storms. The project will involve the placement of offshore sand along the beach, with sand placement occurring from north to south. The Surfside Park staging area will serve as equipment storage and a significant portion of the parking area will be closed and fenced off to ensure public safety. Active placement sections of the beach, measuring about 1,500 feet, will be closed off with orange safety fencing as the project progresses south. Once beach fill is completed, the safety fencing will be removed and those sections will be reopened for public use. Construction will be conducted around the clock, seven days a week, in order to expedite the process ahead of hurricane season.
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Reference: WJXT