PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY TO BEGIN

DREDGING OPERATIONS THE FIRST OF MARCH

Many of you have contacted the website for updates on the project start date, location, overall time line, etc.  We were unable to answer with specifics at the time of your inquiry, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we waited for information we could pass along to you.  Although there is some potential for changes to still take place, here is an update of what is anticipated to occur in the months ahead.

The original plan for the beach project was to work until July 1, 2008.  At that time, dredging would be stopped until November 1, 2008, and the equipment would need to be remobilized to finish the rest of the project.  Beginning with the preconstruction meeting, our engineer, the dredging contractor, and the state and federal agency representatives worked toward a plan that would allow the project to continue work without interruption.  A plan of continuous construction gets our beach project finished faster and also saves us the costs of the demobilzation and remobilzation of equipment. 

Some of the details still need finalized, but the plan that will be put in place for our project is as follows:

1.  Dredging will begin at the northernmost point of the project, inside the State Park.  Pipe is already being deployed, and we anticipate sand to begin discharging onto the beach sometime during the first week of March.

2.  The project will proceed to the south and continue until we complete the entire project, finishing with the work at Stump Hole. 

3.  The time line for completion of all work is subject to delays for weather, equipment, and problems with endangered species.  However, it is generally expected the project will be finished within 240 days or less.

4.  We have not been provided with information as to when the project will be at any certain point.  We realize many of you are anxious for information as to when the work will be at or beyond your property, but we just don't have that detailed information at this time.  Whenever the dredging contractor and engineer feel they can provide an estimate for completion of a segment of the work, we will of course get that information out to you.  It's our understanding, for example, the work in the State Park section will take approximately 20 days. 

Again, the advantages and benefits of this revised plan are:

1.  Work will not have to be stopped from July 1 to November 1, 2008.

2.  The cost of a second mobilzation of equipment will be avoided.

3.  Working from north to south actually will get more of the project area completed in the same amount of time than would be covered working south to north. 

Finally, as work begins, we will do everything we can to get photographs and other updates on the website as quickly as possible.  We will strive to keep you as informed as we can while the project proceeds down the beach!