What to Expect for the North Wildwood Emergency Management Beach Nourishment Dredging Project

PRESS RELEASE

NORTH WILDWOOD - Next week, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will begin work on the Emergency Beach Nourishment Dredging Project to replenish the North Wildwood beaches thanks to the efforts of Governor Phil Murphy. 

Construction will be taking place in the beginning of the summer season, so we wanted to provide residents and visitors with some details about what to expect over the days and weeks ahead. Project preparation is underway and H & L Contracting and Great Lakes Dredge and Dock (GLDD), the contractor and sub-contractor for the NJDOT, are expected to begin mobilizing equipment the week of May 20. 

Once they have their equipment on site, they plan to begin pumping sand during or before the first week of June. The contractors currently intend to pump sand on the beach at 7th Avenue, proceeding South to North, wrapping around the jetty at 2nd Avenue and John F. Kennedy Blvd. Once this section is complete, it is expected that the contractor will return to 7th Avenue, continuing south. 

As the project is ongoing, the contractors are planning to work in approximately 1,000-foot increments along the beach. This means that when they are working in a certain section, it will be CLOSED to public access. The ongoing sections of construction will be denoted with posts and signs stating that the area is CLOSED. 

NJDOT intends to work with the contractor to open sections of beach in order to provide the public with access as soon as is safely feasible. Members of our Police Department and Beach Patrol will be patrolling these sections to keep the public from accessing these areas. Even if a section of the beach does not appear to be under construction, there may still be dredge pipes laying across the beach. 

Beachgoers may have access over the pipes, only if it is not within the ongoing construction zone. The contractors will create access ramps with sand and other material to allow pedestrians to get to and from the ocean side. 

NJDOT and the contractors plan to stage some trailers and other equipment in multiple locations off the beach at the following locations: 

• 6th-7th Aves. (Landward side of the bulkhead between bulkhead and playground equipment) 
• 15th Ave. & Beach Municipal Parking Lot 
• 16th-17th Aves. (Landward side of the dune between vehicle access and dune) 

During the duration of this project, the 15th Ave. Beach Municipal Lot and LSV Parking Area at 15th Ave. will be closed to the public for parking. Other areas of traffic and parking may also be closed to the public from time to time. 

The anticipated completion date for the Emergency Beach Nourishment Dredge Project is around July 4, 2024 depending on the ultimate design of the project which the City, NJDOT and the State are continuing to finalize. 

The City of North Wildwood and NJDOT officials will provide updates frequently to keep all informed of any closures or other interruptions. 

For additional information, feel free to reach out to the City at 609-522-6464. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank everyone in advance for their cooperation and support.