Politics & Government

Oceanfront Sheet Pile Project in Mantoloking, Brick to Begin Thursday

Brick's portion of the project will begin in August, officials have said

The installation of a protective steel sheet pile wall along the oceanfront in Brick and Mantoloking will kick off Thursday, state officials said.

For several weeks, crews have been busy creating access points and staging materials for the project, which will begin in Mantoloking at about 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Mantoloking will be the first area where construction will take place, followed by Brick Township on or about Aug. 20.

State officials are building the sheetpile sea wall 30 feet feet underground and 15 feet above ground in order to protect against breaching on Ocean County's northern barrier island. During Superstorm Sandy, a breach in Mantoloking was blamed for massive flooding on the island and mainland. The sheetpile will run from Lyman Street in Mantoloking to Brick Township's southern border in the Normandy Beach neighborhood, which borders Toms River.

The $23,837,000 project will be funded mainly through federal highway grants, since the project will protect the rebuilt Route 35, a state highway.

Public and association beaches in Brick will be open during the project, though the transport of equipment may cause some temporary entrance blockages. When the work is being completed on a particular street, that street's beach will be closed for about three days.

The project is being undertaken now since it has to be finished by the time a federal dune and beach replenishment project begins this fall. The dunes from that project will completely cover the steel wall.


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