Beach project wraps up

The north end emergency beach project is wrapping up today.

Public Works Projects Manager James Linkogle said the dredge in Sarasota Bay is leaving this afternoon.

Sand stopped pumping onto the north end of the island July 3 and the contractor spent the last week smoothing out the sand and grooming the newly shaped coastline.

The emergency sand was brought to shore through a West Coast Inland Navigation System project.

WCIND placed up to 100,000 cubic yards of sand on the shoreline and agreed to pay $500,000 toward the project. The town made up the remaining cost of up to $350,000 for the estimated $850,000 project.

The town will place two groins in the area next summer to help hold sand in place that’s swept into Longboat Pass by strong currents.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].