AVALON – The Borough of Avalon has begun a sand back passing project that will move approximately 55,000 cubic yards of sand from a permitted borrow area to six blocks of north-end beaches that were eroded during winter storm events.
According to a release, the back passing project is being conducted with rented heavy equipment by the Avalon Department of Public Works.
“This is a very necessary and important project to the borough for the protection of our community,” stated Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi. “Sand back passing has proven to be a very efficient, cost-effective measure to provide interim protection for our community between hydraulic beach fill projects. We have arranged this project to be substantially completed before the start of hurricane season.”
Avalon is using heavy equipment to move sand below the high tide mark, from beaches between 33rd and 40th streets north to eroded beaches between Ninth and 15th streets. The wet sand is thinly scraped east of the high tide line, placed into trucks, moved to the north end beaches, and graded to templates approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The goal is to have all of the work completed in advance of Memorial Day weekend.
If there are unfavorable weather conditions, the project would cease during the holiday weekend and conclude immediately after the weekend. The natural ocean currents remove sand from some north-end beaches and transport it south to this borrow area. The back passing project relocates this sand back to its place of origin.
During the back passing project in 2019, sand was naturally restored by ocean currents to the borrow area before the trucks returned from the north end to collect additional sand.
The borough is appreciative of the efforts by Cape May County to arrange for the heavy equipment to be brought safely into our community, via Avalon Boulevard.
The Avalon beach will remain open during this project. For public safety, select beach paths in both the borrow area and the fill area will be closed to allow this project to continue. The public is advised that this is an active work zone and to be aware of heavy equipment traversing this portion of the beachfront. Additional information is available at www.avalonboro.net.
