Construction

Lido Beach emergency renourishment project stalled temporarily by heavy seas associated with cold front

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Under good conditions, city manager reports, work proceeding 24 hours a day, seven days a week

The Lido Key Beach emergency renourishment project has been stalled from time to time by cold fronts passing through the area. Photo courtesy City of Sarasota

Work is continuing on the emergency renourishment and shoreline preservation project on Lido Beach, Sarasota City Manager Tom Barwin reported in his Dec. 14 newsletter.

Approximately 20% of the project had been completed as of that date, he noted.

“Due to heavy seas associated with a cold front [last] week,” Barwin continued, the dredging of sand from New Pass briefly was suspended. “Operations resumed on Dec. 12 “and will continue 24/7,” Barwin wrote. However, he acknowledged, work could be suspended again over the weekend because of more expected stormy weather and accompanying choppy seas.

“If dredging is postponed due to the weather, it will resume as soon as conditions become favorable,” he added.

Although the project’s beginning was delayed by a cold front that moved through the area in early November — again producing rough seas — the work was underway by the time the City Commission held its regular meeting on Nov. 19, according to a report Barwin made to the board.

Heavy machinery is staged on the beach just north of Lido Pavilion, Barwin noted in his Dec. 14 newsletter. Crews are working in a 400- to 500-foot zone, cordoned off with yellow caution tape.

Barwin did point out that Lido Beach, the Lido Pool, pavilion and restaurant are remaining open for business during the renourishment project.

Still, he advised, “Please continue to maintain a safe distance from the construction zone.”

The construction project originally was projected to take about 90 days from the time it began. Coastal Dredging of Hammond, La., is the contractor, having won the bid with an estimate of $3,943,000.

A graphic shows part of the design specifications for the renourishment project. Image courtesy FDEP

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) issued the formal Notice to Proceedto the city on Oct. 17.

City Engineer Alexandrea DavisShaw has said that the city plans to use about 185,000 cubic yards of sand from New Pass for this project.

Officially, the initiative will place sand on the central and southern portions of the beach between monuments R-37 and R-44, according to an Oct. 17 FDEP document. The numerical designations refer to the system FDEP uses to designate geographical locations on beaches.

The last time an emergency renourishment project took place on Lido Key was in early 2015.