The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District awarded a contract to repair the north jetty at Barnegat Inlet, which protects the southern tip of state-owned Island Beach State Park. The work is part of a larger effort to repair USACE projects damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
The contract was awarded to Agate Construction Company of Clermont, N.J. for $7.6 million to repair approximately 740 feet of the jetty on the north side of the inlet that was damaged due to Superstorm Sandy. The project is expected to begin later this month and extend to the fall.
Superstorm Sandy caused the displacement of capstone and partial failure along an approximately 740-foot portion of the north jetty that borders the Island Beach State Park shoreline. The repair work involves rebuilding the cross-section of the jetty using existing capstone, supplemented with additional capstone, corestone, slushed concrete and stone-filled mattresses.
While all mobile sportfishing access points remain open to permit holders, the beach area adjacent and to the north of the jetty will be closed for the duration of the project.
“While we recognize the jetty is a popular fishing destination, it is imperative that the jetty area be closed to all go park-goers for their own safety,” said Mark Texel, New Jersey State Park Director. “Ultimately, we will have a stronger jetty that will best serve Barnegat Inlet and the south end of our park.”
The Barnegat Inlet north jetty was first constructed in 1940 and raised in elevation in 1974. USACE last dredged the inlet in July of 2013. The inlet requires dredging to provide a safe and reliable navigation channel for the U.S. Coast Guard and a large fishing fleet consisting of full-time commercial, charter and recreational vessels.
Shaped by storms and tides, Island Beach State Park is a narrow barrier island stretching for 10 miles between the ocean and Barnegat Bay. It is one of New Jersey's last significant remnants of a barrier island ecosystem and is one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier beaches on the north Atlantic coast.
Release no. 14-005