St. Johns County is set to begin the $38.6 million Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project in March that will restore storm-damaged dunes and berms to provide storm protection to upland infrastructure with more than 2 million cubic yards of sand dredged in for the ocean.
The project will create additional environmental habitat for wildlife and enhance the recreational value of the beach. The project will stretch from the St. Johns-Duval county line to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve — about nine miles of coastline.
The public can stay updated on the project and beach parking closures at sjcfl.us/PVB and by using the county’s mobile app SJC Connect, available at sjcfl.us/SJC-Connect.
At the Feb. 20 Board of County Commissioners regular meeting, the board voted 5-0 to approve a motion authorizing the county to award the beach restoration bid to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder for the construction of the project, Weeks Marine.
The Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project will cost about $38.6 million, approximately $30.6 million of which has come from state legislative funding and grants. The remaining amount is being funded through county matching requirements and funding set aside from previous board actions for this project.
The project will directly impact Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park and beach access in the area.
“Public safety is our top priority during this project,” county Emergency Management Director Joe Giammanco said. “We’re going to move through this as fast as we can with as little impact, but safety is paramount. We will communicate the details of this project to the public as extensively and frequently as possible.”
St. Johns County conducted a survey in the proposed project area to gauge resident sentiment on the project and discovered overwhelming support. Of residents who responded to the survey living along the “northern three miles,” 96.6% agreed with the need for the project. Of residents who responded to the survey living along the “southern six miles,” 91% agreed with the need for the project.
The project will provide substantial coastline fortifications, including dune reconstruction between 13 and 18 feet, beach berm elevation of eight feet, and beach width increase of 40 to 180 feet post-construction.
The county has 42 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline. It manages 32 miles of the coastline. The Florida Department of Environmental Project designates 17.1 miles of the coastline as critically eroded, with an additional 7.6 miles deemed non-critically eroded. Historically, the St. Augustine and Matanzas Inlets have been the primary causes of erosion. In the present day, hurricanes, nor’easters, overwashes and seawalls have also contributed, necessitating action by government entities at the local, state and federal levels.
Stephen Hammond, Project Manager for St. Johns County Coastal Management, presented an update on upcoming and ongoing coastal projects at the 37th Annual National Conference on Beach Preservation Technology earlier this month.
In 2023, the county commenced six Coastal Management projects: FEMA Dune Enhancement Project (Hurricanes Ian/Nicole), FEMA Cat G South Ponte Vedra Park Repairs, Vilano Beach/South Ponte Vedra Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM), Summer Haven Feasibility Study, Porpoise Point Drive Armoring Project and Summer Haven Dredge Disposal. Construction of the first four projects has been completed; the last two are ongoing.
In coordination with these projects, the county sustained important environmental and physical monitoring of the coastline. In 2023, St. Johns County beaches saw a record 133 green sea turtle nests as part of 1,205 total nests and an estimated 79,811 sea turtle hatchlings.
The complete list of 2023 Coastal Management Projects includes the following:
FEMA Dune Enhancement (Ian/Nicole) – Completed
FEMA Cat G South Ponte Vedra Park Repairs – Completed
Vilano Beach/South Ponte Vedra Beach (CSRM) – Completed
Summer Haven Feasibility Study – Completed
Porpoise Point Drive Armoring Project – Ongoing
Summer Haven Dredge Disposal – Ongoing
Coastal Management plans to commence the following projects over the next couple of years:
Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project
St. Augustine Beach Shoreline Protection Project – USACE
FEMA Cat G South Ponte Vedra Dune Project
Porpoise Point Shoreline Stabilization Project
St. Johns County Coastal Management Plan
For more information on St. Johns County Coastal Projects, go to sjcfl.us/departments/coastal-projects.
