Construction Begins on Seaside Heights’ ‘Living Shoreline:’ Take a Tour

Seaside Heights’ south bayfront area is getting a fresh new look that will stabilize the shoreline and act as a safe harbor for native species. Shorebeat originally reported on the contract being awarded for the project earlier this fall, and this week, construction began.

Crews set up a boom in Barnegat Bay adjacent to the Dock Outfitters off Route 35, where the living shoreline revetment will be constructed. The site on which the Dock Outfitters is located is owned by the municipality and leased to the business. The shoreline restoration project is occurring just to the south of the building and the lengthy public fishing pier that juts out into the water. In recent years, slabs of concrete and other rocks that made up a crude barrier began to deteriorate at a quick pace, ultimately resulting in the degradation of the integrity of the shoreline. After a lengthy permitting process, the borough received the go-ahead earlier this year to move forward with a living shoreline project. The funding for the project was provided in previous years’ capital budgets.

Construction crews are in place to build a ‘living shoreline’ in Seaside Heights’ south bayfront, Nov. 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

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Construction crews are in place to build a ‘living shoreline’ in Seaside Heights’ south bayfront, Nov. 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The project’s scope will consist of a 120 linear foot “planted revetment” living shoreline being installed at the site, which will be constructed with rip-rap fill and filter fabric to support the required revetment stones. The rip-rap has already been delivered to the site.

Clean sand and topsoil material required for plantings will then be placed within the revetment stones and along the crest of the revetment.

Construction crews are in place to build a ‘living shoreline’ in Seaside Heights’ south bayfront, Nov. 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Construction crews are in place to build a ‘living shoreline’ in Seaside Heights’ south bayfront, Nov. 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The project will be completed by the end of the year in order to adhere to environmental regulations that prohibit certain types of waterfront construction during winter flounder spawning season.