Miami Beach sand project starts soon

Published Aug. 22, 2016
A critically eroded area near 46th Street in Miami Beach will be renourished with beach-quality sand from the south end of the Fontainebleu Hotel (curved building) to the area between of the twin towers of the Blue and Green Diamond Condominiums. The properties immediately to the north and south will also be part of the construction area.

The Corps will renourish a critically eroded area near 46th Street in Miami Beach with beach quality sand from the south end of the Fontainebleau Hotel (curved building) to the twin towers of the Blue and Green Diamond Condominiums. The properties immediately to the north and south are also part of the construction area. The access and staging area for this location is the 46th Street parking lot at Indian Beach Park.

A critically eroded area in the 5400 block of Collins Avenue in Miami Beach will be renourished with beach-quality sand from the south end of the Carriage House Condominium to the north end of the Castle Beach Condominium. The properties immediately to the north and south will also be part of the construction area.

The Corps will renourish a critically eroded area in the 5400 block of Collins Avenue in Miami Beach with beach quality sand from the south end of the Carriage House Condominium to the north end of the Castle Beach Condominium. The properties immediately to the north and south are also part of the construction area. The access and staging area for this location is the 53rd Street parking lot at Beach View Park.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District announces that construction will start tomorrow for the Miami Beach erosional Hotspots beach renourishment. The $11.9 million project is part of the Miami-Dade County Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project.

The Corps’ contractor, Eastman Aggregate Enterprises, LLC of Lake Worth, Florida, will start mobilizing equipment at the 46th Street access and staging area tomorrow, and place sand on the beach in that area within the next few weeks.

Eastman Aggregates will place 220,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand from an upland sand mine on more than 3,000 feet of critically eroded shoreline in two locations, near 46th Street and 54th Street. Construction will take place first at the 46th Street location, followed by the 54th Street location. Sand placement at each site will start at the south end and proceed north. Eastman will truck-haul sand from the E.R. Jahna Ortona Sand Mine and/or the Vulcan Materials Whitherspoon Sand Mine, both located in Moore Haven, southwest of Lake Okeechobee.

Sand fill operations, tilling, demobilization and restoration of the 46th Street access is set for completion by November 9, 2016, and the 54th Street location completion by spring 2017.

The areas affected by construction include the 4400-4700 and 5300-5500 blocks of Collins Avenue. There are two access and staging areas for trucks, equipment and sand, one at the 46th Street parking lot at Indian Beach Park and another at the 53rd Street parking lot at Beach View Park.

The main truck route will be east on SR-836/Dolphin Expressway to I-95 North, east on the I-195/Julia Tuttle Causeway to W 41st Street/Arthur Godfrey Road, then north on Indian Creek Drive, which turns into Collins Avenue, exiting west on Normandy Drive to the John F. Kennedy Causeway, entering the City of Miami at NW 79th Street.

The contractor will work weekdays, and weekends as needed. Crews will work at the access and staging areas, including delivery of sand, 6 a.m. through 11 p.m. Beach work will take place between 7 a.m. or sunrise, whichever is later, through 7 p.m. or sunset, whichever is earlier.

Trucks will enter and exit the staging areas during operating hours. During construction, the public should use caution along the truck route, in the access and staging areas, and on the beach. Flagmen will assist with traffic to ensure the safety of residents and beachgoers. For safety and protection, members of the public should follow the instructions of construction personnel, observe all posted signs regarding closed areas and stay away from areas fenced off with orange construction netting. Due to safety concerns, some beach access areas will be closed and certain public beach access points will be restricted during construction. Because of the extensive construction activities for the next several months, motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians are asked to use caution along these areas of Miami Beach.

“The renourished beach will help protect infrastructure, including iconic, historically and architecturally significant buildings on South Beach,” said Laurel Reichold, Corps project manager. “The Corps builds beaches to protect infrastructure, preserve wildlife, support the economy, and build coastal resiliency. Widening the beach to about 230 feet also improves habitat for sea turtle nesting.”

“The Corps and our partners at Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami Beach are coordinating closely to help keep the public informed about this project,” said Reichold. “We recently held a public meeting, and project updates will be available on the web and shared widely on social media.”

Miami-Dade County will conduct migratory shorebird and sea turtle monitoring daily to ensure these species are protected during construction.

The project is cost-shared between the federal government (56.6%), Miami-Dade County (21.9%) and the state of Florida (21.5%).

Additional information on the Miami Beach Erosional Hotspots project is available at:  http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Shore-Protection/Dade-County/Miami-Beach-Hotspots/

The Corps will post project updates on the web and social media, including the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict/ and on Twitter @JaxStrong @MiamiDadeRER @MiamiDadeCounty @MiamiBeachNews


Contact
Erica Skolte
561-472-8893
561-801-5734 (cell)

Release no. 16-065