NAPLES, Fla. – Collier County is just weeks away from officially starting its emergency sand berm project.

Most people we spoke to on the beach are excited about the sand berm. “I think it’s a good idea… anything that will protect from the storm surge is a big help,” said Naples beachgoer Thomas Mulvey.

Collier County is hoping to get the project started the first week of April, but the official start date is still unknown.

400,000 pounds of sand will be needed for the project and will be taken from various sites in Collier County.

Collier County officials provided the following response on the project:

The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved an Emergency Berm Project in December 2022. The project is needed to replace the dunes destroyed when Hurricane Ian struck on Sept. 28, 2022. The dunes are a first defense against wave action and storm surge for upland structures (residences as well as commercial buildings just beyond the beach). Since obtaining BCC approval Coastal Zone Management staff have worked to get the berm designed, sand sources approved, and strategized the best and quickest way to get the project completed. Time is of the essence in getting the beach berm in place before the next Hurricane Season which officially begins on June 1.

In mid-March, bids for a contractor to build the berm were opened. Once the appropriate steps are taken for processing, the County Manager is expected to execute the contract for the approved responsive contractors and a Notice to Proceed will be issued. If all goes as expected, the beach berm should start construction in mid-April, and completion is expected near the end of May. The expected cost for construction is approximately $24 million, and the funds have been allocated from Tourist Development Tax funds with expected reimbursement for most costs, from FEMA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Initially, FEMA indicated the berm needed to be completed within six months of Hurricane Ian, but county staff have been in close contact with the federal and state authorities and expect that reimbursement funds will still be available when the emergency berm is completed.

The appropriate sand needed is being sourced from three companies all with sand mining locations in Florida. Approximately 400,000 tons of sand is expected to be needed and dump trucks will use specific approved routes to haul the sand to the beaches. The project has been divided into two segments, the City of Naples beaches from the Port Royal Beach area to the Seagate area is titled Reach A and Reach B includes Barefoot Beach, Vanderbilt Beach, Pelican Bay Beach along with the beaches on Marco Island. One construction contractor will handle Reach A and another will handle Reach B.

When sea turtle nesting season begins (officially on May 1), extra precautions will be taken.

Staff is working to assure everything that needs to be done will be done to keep beachgoers, crews, sea turtles and other critters safe and out of harm’s way during the project.

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