Progress is going extremely well on the Collier County and Naples beach renourishment just one month into an expected four month long project.
Collier County Coastal Zone Management is overseeing the $9.5 million major beach renourishment project. Collier County Coastal Zone Management Manager Gary McAlpin expects work on Vanderbilt Beach to be completed in a few days. Crews have placed 90,000 tons of sand on Vanderbilt Beach between LaPlaya Beach & Golf Club south to just past the Remington condominiums.
The work on this section is significantly ahead of schedule. The contractor working on this section, Eastman Aggregate of Lake Worth, is expected to demobilize equipment and have the majority of the equipment out of the beach area allowing full public access by Saturday, Nov. 16.
Work continues at two other beach renourishment locations being handled by the county’s contractor, Phillips and Jordan of Zephyrhills. The Park Shore Beach has received 63,000 tons of sand which is approximately half the volume required at this section. The Naples Beach section between 2nd Avenue South and 8th Avenue South is nearing completion.
Crews are currently renourishing the beach in front of the Naples Beach Hotel. In approximately one week, (target date of Saturday, Nov. 21) crews expect to move their sand unloading operation from the current location at 3rd Avenue North to Lowdermilk Park.
Once crews mobilize at this location, the remainder of the sand can be spread on the northern Naples beaches. About 40,000 tons of the total 120,000 tons of sand has been used to renourish the Naples beaches to date. At this point, with progress exceeding expectations, predictions are that the major renourishment effort may be completed before Jan. 1, 2014 which would be about six weeks ahead of schedule.
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Press Release, November 14, 2013