FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. – Flagler County hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Monday morning for a beach restoration project more than 10 years in the making, according to county officials.
The county commemorated the start of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “Coastal Storm Risk Management Beach Nourishment Project” at Veterans Park.
The 3.5-mile project spans the coast of Flagler Beach from Gamble Rogers State Park to North 7th Street, originally introduced in 2014 as a 2.6-mile project. The expanded project now includes two separate beach improvement efforts by the Florida Department of Transportation. This collaboration will incorporate the restoration of larger sections of the beach and dunes around the Flagler Beach Pier in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
“The project will provide a holistic, environmentally friendly defense against future storms once it is constructed,” said Coastal Engineering Administrator Ansley Wren-Key in a news release. “It will protect A1A, homes, and businesses along this section of the Flagler coastline, while increasing coastal resiliency for faster and less expensive recovery after large coastal storms.”
Not only will the federalized project provide necessary restoration to Flagler’s beaches, but it will additionally prevent damage to local infrastructure and State Road A1A, as well as provide relief to residents.
It will also be rebuilt without additional local funding in the event that sections are washed away by future storms, as emergency renourishment for Army Corps project areas after declared storm events is fully federally funded for up to 50 years, according to officials.
The construction of the current project is expected be completed by March 2025. It will require roughly 1.3 million cubic yards of sand, which will most likely be obtained from a borrow source about 11.75 miles offshore, according to Flagler County officials. The initial construction will be succeeded by four additional nourishments, approximately 11 years apart.
“We are ecstatic to finally see this project getting underway,” County Administrator Heidi Petito said.
To learn more about Flagler County’s beach restoration efforts, visit the coastal engineering section of its website.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: