South end beach permit received

The town of Longboat Key received its long awaited U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit Thursday for a $3 million New Pass sand dredging project.

Town Manager Dave Bullock informed the Longboat Key Town Commission in an email Thursday that he’s hopeful the Longboat Pass dredging permit will follow soon and the town can put both projects out to bid later this month. The town will save approximately $1 million if it can mobilize one dredge and keep it near the Key to dredge both passes back to back.

The New Pass dredging project will place 250,000 cubic yards of sand on the south end.

Bullock also plans to use some sand from a $10 million mid-Key beach dump truck haul project set to begin in April for the south end behind properties such as L’Ambiance and The Pierre that have major erosion issues and can’t wait for New Pass sand coming this summer.

The town seeks seeks to start the New Pass project right  after a $10,983,192 mid-Key sand restoration project that’s bringing 250,000 cubic yards of sand to the Key via dump trucks starts in April.

The third project that’s still awaiting a final federal permit is a $3.5 million Longboat Pass dredging project that will bring 200,000 cubic yards of sand from Gulfside Road north to the North Shore Road beach access.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].