ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County has completed the $38.6 million Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project two months ahead of schedule.
The project was originally on track to be completed by mid-August. The contractor used two dredges to speed up progress so it could be completed by the end of June.
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The county secured over $30 million from the State of Florida to construct the project.
The project reconstructed storm-damaged dunes between 13 and 18 feet, beach berm elevation of eight feet, and a beach width increase of 40 to 180 feet post-construction.
The project area stretches from the St. Johns-Duval County line to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Estuarine Reserve, about nine miles of coastline.
It also created additional habitats for wildlife, enhanced the recreational value of the beach, and fortified the coastline.
“We’re really excited that this project went the way that it did,” Coastal Environment Project Manager Sloane Stephens said. “It’s been on such an expedited schedule, and our contractor, Weeks Marine, has done a spectacular job with trying to get things done as fast as possible, and we’re really excited that this project will be complete before the end of peak hurricane season in Ponte Vedra.”
If the project is damaged in a declared disaster, it could be eligible for funding from FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management.