The long-awaited US Army Corp of Engineers beach replenishment project from Manasquan Inlet to Barnegat Bay is expected to begin within the next two months. The project, once fully completed, will cover 14 miles of coastline along the Barnegat Peninsula in the communities of Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking, Brick Township, Toms River Township, Lavallette, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park and Berkeley Township. The project will include the construction of pedestrian dune crossovers with accommodation for ADA-accessible crossovers. Recent federal beach replenishment projects that included dune construction helped to prevent further devastation along the coast from the recent nor’easter.
Coastal storms cause beach erosion and damage to dunes. We have choices: We can continue to protect our coastline, a most valuable economic and environmental New Jersey asset, through cyclical beach replenishment and other projects that help to build a more resilient coastline OR let nature take its course and lose our beaches to erosion endangering people, property, coastal infrastructure, habitats and economy. Fortunately, New Jersey has taken the pathway to preservation.
For its part, the Jersey Shore Partnership remains steadfast in its mission to ensure stable funding on state and federal levels for coastal protection and beach replenishment.