Ocean County Leader

Critical beach protection efforts along New Jersey's coastline are set to commence on February 10, following the allocation of federal funding. U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-Manchester) played a key role in securing $30.2 million from the federal infrastructure bill passed by Congress, which will cover a substantial portion of the project's total cost of $73.5 million.

"Our NJ coastline often bears the brunt of frequent, major storm events that over time cause significant erosion, decimate our local beaches and threaten the safety and well-being of local homeowners and beachgoers," said Smith. "To help protect our shore communities and help our towns meet the staggering costs of beach erosion, the Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to begin critical beach replenishment work for shore towns in my congressional district from Manasquan Inlet to Barnegat Inlet. This long-awaited project is overdue and greatly welcomed."

The project had faced delays despite prior approval until Smith intervened in January 2022 to secure necessary funding. Contracting issues were subsequently resolved with the Army Corps awarding a contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company in October 2024.

The tentative schedule for construction, subject to weather conditions, spans six-to-seven months and includes various locations: Seaside Heights with taper into Seaside Park (February), Toms River (South) (February/March), Lavallette (March), Bay Head with taper into Point Pleasant Beach (Spring), Mantoloking (Spring), Brick Township (early Summer), and Toms River (North) (Summer).

"Our shore communities will benefit greatly from this federal program and partnership to address significant safety concerns from beach erosion and help blunt damaging effects of future major storms," said Smith. "I am grateful for the expertise of the Army Corps of Engineers—our nation’s premier builders—for getting this project to the finish line, as well as to their partners at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Ocean County and the municipalities."

The contract involves dredging and placing 2.1 million cubic yards of sand onto Ocean County beaches from three approved offshore borrow areas in the Atlantic Ocean. The sand will be pumped onto beaches and graded into an engineered template designed to mitigate coastal storm damage.

Most base contract work focuses on widening eroded beaches while repairing dunes, access paths/crossovers, sand fencing, and planting dune grass where needed.