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April 3, 2008
Michelle Coats, APR
Community Information Specialist

SECTION OF BEACH TO CLOSE TEMPORARILY DUE TO MAINTENANCE DREDGING/ BEACH RENOURISHMENT ALONG NEW SMYRNA BEACH

A short section of New Smyrna Beach may be closed beginning Friday, April 4, for a beach renourishment project being done by the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND). The work zone between Sapphire Road and Crawford Avenue will be closed for approximately one week. The sand replacement project will continue in stages south along the beach as weather and work conditions permit.

“Once the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District and the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) start the maintenance dredging of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in the New Smyrna Beach area, the dredged beach quality sand material will be deposited along the beach,” said Joe Nolin, Volusia County coastal division director. “The beach renourishment is an added benefit from the maintenance dredging project. The project is expected to begin Friday, April 4.”

The sand dredged from the Intracoastal Waterway is being pumped through pipes onto the beach. It is then graded into dune line to encourage more natural protection.
North Beach Community Park will remain open. Driving will be disrupted along the short work zone section. All other areas remain open to the public. Beachgoers can travel to the Ponce Inlet area via Beachway Ramp. Flagler Avenue, Third Avenue and 27th Avenue ramps are open. The beach will remain open to all beach users except for a 200-500 foot construction area which will advance south along the beach by approximately 100 yards a day as work progresses. Citizens are encouraged to stay away from the work zone and resulting pipeline.

The primary purpose of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FIND project is maintenance dredging of the middle and northern reaches of the Intracoastal Waterway channel in Volusia County in the vicinity of Ponce de Leon Inlet and New Smyrna Beach. Approximately 269,000 cubic yards of beach quality dredged material will be placed on the beaches of New Smyrna from approximately Sapphire Road to approximately 21st Avenue.

“We’re doing all we can to communicate with beachgoers about the rolling closures,” said Nolin. “We plan to track those beach closures on our County website, Volusia.org. It’s one way people can get up-to-date info. We’ll also place signage wherever we can.”

Although the renourishment work is not a county project, the county is assisting with public information as a service to beach visitors, residents and businesses, Nolin explained.
For further information on the dredging project, please contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Corporate Communication Office at 904-232-1238 or 904-728-1182.

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