2012 is looking bright for beach-goers of Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin.
Located at #1 Causeway Boulevard,
Honeymoon Island will undergo a $5.6 million revitalization project, adding three rock T-Groin structures to the beach and nourishing about 2,000 feet of shoreline.
“About 100,000 cubic yards of sand from the ebb shoal of
Hurricane Pass will be used to fill the northern portion of the public beach,” says Andy Squires, coastal manager at
Pinellas County Department of Environment and Infrastructure.
Tentatively scheduled to begin in late summer or early fall of 2012, construction on the project is awaiting permit acquisition and funding from the State of Florida. Currently, the permit is under review and the funding request will be considered during the
2012 State Legislative Session along with several other beach projects throughout Florida.
“A
Joint Coastal Permit must be obtained from the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection,” says Squires. “With the permit and appropriate funding, Pinellas projects can take anywhere from one to eight months, depending on the size and weather conditions.”
T-Groin structures serve to attenuate wave energy, ultimately slowing the rate of beach erosion. Temporary geotextile sand-filled tubes are more common and cheaper to install -- such as those located on
Upham Beach in St. Pete -- but, according to Squires, plans for rock structures coincide with future nourishment projects for
Treasure Island and
Long Key in St. Pete in 2013.
“Wide sandy beaches provide storm protection to beachfront properties and infrastructure, recreational space that fuels the local economy through tourism-related activity and habitat for marine sea turtles and shorebirds,” says Squires.
Writer:
Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Andy Squires,
Pinellas County Department of Environment and Infrastructure
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