A $35 million beach renourishment project on Pensacola Beach is nearing completion, with 1.5 million cubic yards of sand set to be placed along 8.1 miles of shoreline ahead of peak spring tourism. Similar restoration efforts have wrapped up in Galveston, Texas.
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Before spring break, workers are getting ready to put down 1.5 million cubic yards of sand as part of a $35 million project to improve 8.1 miles of Pensacola Beach.
This week, the Santa Rosa Island Authority announced that the fourth and final tunnel, which will bring sand from the Gulf of Mexico to the area's beaches to be filled in, was ready to be installed. If everything is ready, sand placement should start in March.
The project began at the end of January and goes from east of Fort Pickens to near the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Pensacola Beach will get new sand for the first time in ten years in mid- March.
Our goal with beach renourishment projects is to stop erosion, make shorelines safer during storms, and make life better for both locals and tourists. Authorities say the timing is crucial as the area prepares for the busiest tourist seasons in spring and summer.
The Gulf Coast of Texas is also working on similar projects.
Recently, the Texas General Land Office and its partners, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, completed repairs to the West End of Galveston Island. Crews dumped about 378,000 cubic yards of dirt from the Galveston Ship Channel onto Hershey Beach.
As the project came to an end on Tuesday, Galveston City Manager Byron Maxwell said, "The City of Galveston is grateful for the working relationship we have with the Texas General Land Office and Commissioner Buckingham."
At Sargent Beach, further down the Texas coast, workers are dredging and placing 1.07 million cubic yards of sand to stop the erosion caused by several tropical storms over the last 15 years.
Coastal officials along the Gulf say the projects are necessary to protect infrastructure, boost tourism, and strengthen natural storm barriers as hurricane seasons intensify.
With spring break approaching, Pensacola Beach officials hope the new sand will make the beach stronger and more appealing to people who want to return to the Gulf.
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