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Beaches |
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2016 Beach Nourishment Project |
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Beach Access Addresses and Directions |
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Beach Nourishment Wildlife Protection |
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Beach Rules and Regulations |
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2016 Beach Nourishment Project
Longboat Key 2016 Beach Nourishment Project
2016 Beach Nourishment Completed Ahead of Schedule on October 21st
This page contains updates from the project team coordinating Longboat Key's 2016 beach nourishment project. To contact the project team, email sand@longboatkey.org or call 941-316-6868.
The Pullen is a 150-foot-long cutterhead-pipeline hydraulic dredge deployed by the Norfolk Dredging Company for New Pass and Longboat Pass Dredging and Beach Nourishment Projects.
The three-phase Longboat Key beach nourishment project was substantially completed on Friday, October 21, 2016.
Phase 1 placed 205,000 cubic yards of truck-hauled sand mined in Immokalee, Florida to areas of the beach shown as the Central Key Truck Haul Phase on the map below and was completed two months ahead of schedule. Phase 2 included a combination of placement of dredged sand from New Pass and truck haul of Immokalee truck hauled sand for the southernmost beaches and dredged sand from Longboat Pass for the north end beach.
The Pullen, a 150-foot-long cutterhead-pipeline hydraulic dredge, owned and operated by the Norfolk Dredging Company (NDC) of Chesapeake, Virginia, arrived in the area on August 19th and begin dredging. Heavy sand-moving equipment, shorepipe and a temporary office was located on the beach near the L’Ambiance.
The entire beach nourishment project wrapped up October 21, 2016. Dredging operations took place 24 hours a day, seven days a week to complete this work as quickly as possible.
219,241 cubic yards of dredged sand from New Pass was placed to fix nearly 4,000 linear feet of the beaches at the southern tip. The New Pass phase of the project was completed four weeks ahead of schedule on September 15. The Pullen was then relocated to Longboat Pass to dredge 204,702 cubic yards of Longboat Pass sand to repair more than 4,100 linear feet of beaches at the northern tip.
The $10 million first phase of the project in which dump trucks brought in sand finished two months ahead of schedule. Phases 2 and 3, estimated at an additional $6 million, completed three weeks ahead of schedule on Friday, October 21.
In addition to the dredging, another 37,500 cubic yards of sand was trucked in to help with the New Pass project phase. Truck haul construction activity used a truck access to place sand in the vicinity of the Resort at Longboat Key Club to New Pass beginning in mid-September. Truck haul operations occurred Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Turtle nests were relocated well in advance of this project so nests were not buried under the new sand. The Town secured permits from federal and state regulatory agencies to perform work at night in order to rapidly move the project to completion.
Remember, lights out for sea turtles! A record number of sea turtle nests are documented this season by Mote Marine Laboratory biologists and it is time for hatchlings to begin emerging onto the beach at night. Lights from upland areas can disorient the hatchlings and prevent them from reaching the Gulf. Turtle season runs May 1 to November 30 each year. An extraordinary number (1,184) of nests were laid in 2016.
We thank you for your patience during the restoration of Longboat Key’s world-class beaches.
October 6, 2016 | The Town is closely monitoring Hurricane Matthew as it moves along the Atlantic coast of Florida. Strong winds and rain are likely in the forecast for Longboat Key as Hurricane Matthew makes it way north.
Norfolk Dredging Company has moved the dredge Pullen to safe harbor in Tampa Bay. The north end dredging and sand placement operations will continue once weather conditions improve. The Contractor has already placed approximately 50% of the scheduled sand volume for the Longboat Pass project. The southward fill operations reached the large seawall at 6633 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The project is expected to extend to a point just south of Gulfside Road. Once the dredge returns and restarts, work on this segment is anticipated to take another two to three weeks, including cleanup and demobilization, barring any unforeseen delays.
North End Dredge and Fill Operations progress completing the first small segment and moving southward
Beach fill operations on the south end of the Key are rapidly progressing with approximately 67% of the scheduled truck loads delivered to the beach as of October 4th. Truckloads of sand will be placed to create as smooth of a transition as possible to the New Pass fill section north of the Longboat Key Club. Truck work for this segment may be completed by October 10th. Cleanup and demobilization may take an additional two weeks.
South End Emergency Truck Haul Project progresses from New Pass to a section north of Longboat Key Club
Don’t forget, Lights Out for Turtles! 2016 has been a record sea turtle nesting season and it is time for hatchlings to emerge onto the beach at night. Lights from upland areas can disorient the hatchlings and prevent them from reaching the Gulf.
September 27, 2016 | The dredge, Pullen, and its equipment mobilized to Longboat Pass on Friday, September 23, 2016. Dredging and beach fill operations in the area between North Shore Road and Broadway Street began Monday, September 26. Upon completion of the smaller fill segment south of North Shore Road, south of the concrete groin, operations will shift to an area south of Whitney Beach and proceed southward to Gulfside Road.
The dredge, Pullen, in Longboat Pass pumping sand onto the North end beach.
The New Pass dredge and sand fill operation placed a total of 234,000 cubic yards of sand from the Pass on the beach between L’Ambiance and Regent Place, Segment 5 on the project map. This volume includes approximately 19,000 cubic yards of material placed to restore sand lost due to Hurricane Hermine earlier this month. Final beach tilling and cleanup operations are expected to be completed in the next week. Dredging and sand placement on the North end is a twenty-four hours a day/seven days a week operation.
Heavy equipment moving sand placed on the South end of Longboat Key beach at Longboat Key Club
A South End emergency truck haul of sand from the Immokalee Sand Mine in Central Florida began Monday, September 26, 2016. Sand will be placed at the Longboat Key Club (Segment 6 on the project map). Regular truck deliveries of sand will be made for approximately three weeks. Truck hauling operations will occur Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
All schedules are subject to weather conditions and are approximate.
Lights out for sea turtles! Turtle nesting season along Florida beaches begins May 1 and ends October 31. Through all of the beach nourishment activities, Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists have documented a Longboat Key record number of 1,185 sea turtle nests this season. 201 nests were relocated from the completed or upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction will not disturb the nests. At least 534 nests hatched, and the hatchlings reached Gulf waters.
September 20, 2016 | The dredging at New Pass was completed on Monday, September 19, 2016. Norfolk Dredging Company (NDC) will be moving heavy equipment for the next three to four days and mobilizing the dredge Pullen to Longboat Pass to dredge approximately 210,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed on the shoreline in two areas (Segment 7 on the map) from North Shore Road to just South of Broadway Street and along the beach between 6700 to 6391 Gulf of Mexico Drive, weather permitting. Work will begin on Friday, September 23, 2016. Dredging occurs 24 hours a day, seven days a week to complete the work as soon as possible.
The emergency South End truck haul begins on Monday, September 26 with placement of approximately 33,000 cubic yards of Immokalee Mine sand from Central Florida. Trucks will be entering from the South end of the Key onto Longboat Club Road. It is expected the work will take fifteen working days to complete the placement of sand from L’Ambiance to the Resort at Longboat Key Club. Truck hauling and sand placement will occur Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. until completion.
Your patience is appreciated while we work to insure Longboat Key beaches are beautiful.
September 13, 2016 | The beach is growing, growing, growing on the South end of the Key from L’Ambiance to Regent Place!
Phase 2 of the Longboat Key beach nourishment project is near completion. The New Pass dredging project is expected to be substantially complete by September 25th with some heavy equipment remaining behind for shoreline shaping, weather permitting, while Norfolk Dredging Company’s dredge, the Pullen, mobilizes to Longboat Pass. 
A supplemental truck haul sand placement will immediately follow placing an expected 33,000 cubic yards of sand between the Resort at Longboat Key Club and New Pass. Trucks will access the construction zone through a specially prepared truck access through Key Club property on Longboat Club Road. Truck haul operations will occur Monday through Saturday, 6:30 am to 7:30 pm until completion.
The Pullen, a 150-foot-long cutterhead-pipeline hydraulic dredge, owned and operated by the Norfolk Dredging Company (NDC) of Chesapeake, Virginia, will begin the next phase of the beach nourishment project by dredging Longboat Pass and pumping approximately 210,000 cubic yards of sand to repair more than 4,000 linear feet of Longboat Key shoreline in two areas (Segment 7 on the map) from North Shore Road to just South of Broadway Street and along the beach between 6700 to 6391 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Work will begin as early as September 27th. Dredging operations will occur 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The entire beach nourishment project is expected to wrap up by mid-to-late October. The $10 million first phase of the project, the Central Key Truck Haul Project, was completed two months ahead of schedule. Phase 2, estimated at an additional $6 million, experienced a week’s delay due to Tropical Storm Hermine. Overall, the project is expected to be complete on time.
September 7, 2016 | Norfolk Dredging Company’s dredge Pullen returned to New Pass on Monday, September 5th to resume dredging and sand placement operations on the south end of Longboat Key from their safe haven in Tampa Bay to escape effects of Tropical Storm Hermine. The Pullen is a 150-foot long, 40-foot wide hydraulic cutterhead-suction pipeline dredge that uses 6,500 horsepower 24” on-board pumps to pump sand and water from the channel borrow area through a pipeline onto the beach.
To date, the dredge had pumped over 109,058 cy of sand onto the Longboat Key shoreline near L’Ambiance and The Sanctuary. Surveyors are assessing the impacts of the storm on the constructed fill sections. Dredging operations occur 24 hours a day, seven days a week to complete the project as quickly as possible. The South End/New Pass beachfill operation is expected to last roughly four weeks, not including the storm delay.
Once the south end dredging and sand placement in Segment 5 is complete, dredging operations with the Pullen will move to the north end of the Key, using sand from Longboat Pass to fill two segments down to Gulfside Road (Segment 7). At the same time, a supplemental truck haul of sand for the south end of the Key (Segment 6), south of the dredge fill area, is planned for September.
Through all the activity, Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists have documented a Longboat Key record 1,184 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key this season. 201 nests have been relocated from the completed or upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. At least 504 nests have hatched, and the hatchlings reached Gulf waters.
September 2, 2016 | Due to the effects of Tropical Storm Hermine, the project continues to be on hold until more favorable weather conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. Weather permitting, dredging operations will resume early next week.
August 29, 2016 | Norfolk Dredging Company (NDC) has temporarily stopped dredging and sand placement operations in New Pass in anticipation of impacts from Tropical Depression Nine currently in the Gulf of Mexico. NDC is in the process of relocating the dredge Pullen out of harm’s way to safe harbor in Tampa Bay and securing beach equipment and pipeline on the beach. The dredge will re-mobilize to Longboat Key late this week when weather conditions improve.
Open water dredging operations present a special challenge when high waves and winds are forecast. For safety reasons for its crew and Longboat Key residents alike these measures must be undertaken. NDC staff will remain on the beach 24/7 to insure equipment on the beach remains safely secured.
August 25, 2016 | The first week of the New Pass dredging project resulted in the dredging of approximately 12, 226 cubic yards of sand. Norfolk Dredging Company is starting at the southern end of L’Ambiance and working north. Work is progressing and additional shore pipe pieces have been delivered to the beach to progress northward to Regent Place. Dredging operations will be occurring twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to complete this work as quickly as possible. The South End/New Pass beachfill operation is expected to last roughly 4 weeks.
The Town and Norfolk Dredging Company are currently watching the developing tropical weather situation and making a plan for severe weather should it arise.
Once the south end dredging and sand placement in Segment 5 is complete, the dredging operations with the Pullen will move to the north end of the Key, using sand from Longboat Pass to fill two segments down to Gulfside Road (Segment 7). This work will commence in September after Labor Day. At the same time, a supplemental truck haul of sand for the south end of the key (Segment 6), south of the dredge fill area, is planned for September.
Lights out for sea turtles! With a record sea turtle nesting season, the time has come for hatchlings to begin emerging onto the beach at night. Lights from upland areas can disorient the hatchlings and prevent them from reaching the Gulf.
Through all the activity, Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists have documented a Longboat Key record 1,175 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key this season. 200 nests have been relocated from the completed or upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. At least 421 nests have hatched, and the hatchlings reached Gulf waters.
AUGUST 19, 2016 | At 9:15 PM yesterday, August 18th, the first flow of sand onto our beaches started at the southern end of the L’Ambiance Condominium property.
The dredge will be working 24 hours a day, seven days a week as the beach-building process continues to the northern end of Regent Place.
Beach walkers are cautioned to stay clear of the designated construction zones which will be clearly marked with “beach closed” signs. Specifically stay clear of the sand discharge pipeline point and/or any beach machinery or equipment in the construction area. Depending on weather and other factors this work will last approximately 30 days.
The estimated volume of sand that will be dredged from New Pass and placed on the southern construction area is about 200,000 cubic yards.
August 18, 2016 | The dredge Pullen has arrived at New Pass and is being readied to start pumping operations sometime in the evening of Thursday, August 18th or early morning Friday, August 19th. The first few thousand cubic yards of the sand will be used to build a high sandy area for the dredger’s equipment to stage and be prepared to begin sand-spreading operations.
Sand placement will start at the southern end of the L’Ambiance Condominium and move northward as the beach is widened. The dredge will be working 24 hours a day, seven days a week as the beach-building process continues to the northern end of Regent Place.
Beach walkers are cautioned to stay clear of the designated construction zones which will be clearly marked with “beach closed” signs. Specifically stay clear of the sand discharge pipeline point and/or any beach machinery or equipment in the construction area. Depending on weather and other factors this work will last approximately 30 days.
The estimated volume of sand that will be dredged from New Pass and placed on the southern construction area is about 200,000 cubic yards.
August 12, 2016 | Norfolk Dredging Company (NDC) of Chesapeake, VA began mobilizing its equipment to the south end of Longboat Key on August 8th to start construction of the New Pass Dredging and Beach Nourishment Project.
From August 12th through August 16th, supply barges, a crane barge and shorepipe will arrive at New Pass. Equipment, shorepipe, and a temporary beach office will be delivered by crane over the south terminal groin and onto the beach in the vicinity of Sands Point Condominium and The Resort at Longboat Key Club to be hauled northward along the shoreline to the L'Ambiance beach area. Other smaller equipment will be delivered to the beach through a temporary beach access easement and secured on the beach at L'Ambiance.
From Tuesday, August 16th through Friday, August 19, the mobilization schedule will include pipeline and equipment assembly, subline installation and discharge pipeline placement on the beach.
The Pullen, a 150-foot-long cutterhead-pipeline hydraulic dredge, is expected to arrive in the area on August 19th and begin dredging, weather permitting.
The sand dredged from the New Pass channel borrow area will be delivered via a submerged pipeline to the southern L’Ambiance Condominium boundary and begin building the beach northward to Regent Place. Approximately 200,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed.
Dredging operations will take place 24/7 to complete this work as quickly as possible.
Turtle nests have been relocated well in advance of this project so nests are not buried under the new sand. The Town has also secured permits from federal and state regulatory agencies to perform work at night. The New Pass portion of the project is expected to be completed on or about September 15th weather permitting.
August 8, 2016 | Norfolk Dredging Company (NDC) of Chesapeake, VA will begin mobilizing its equipment on the South end of Longboat Key on or about August 8, 2016 to begin construction of the New Pass Dredging and Beach Nourishment Project.
The Pullen, a 150 foot-long cutterhead-pipeline hydraulic dredge (pictured below), is expected to arrive in the area on August 15th and begin dredging on August 18th, weather permitting.
The sand dredged from the New Pass channel borrow area will be delivered via a submerged pipeline to the southern boundary of L’Ambiance Condominium and begin building the beach northward to Regent Place. Approximately 200,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed.
Turtle nests have been relocated well in advance of this project so that nests are not buried under the new sand. The New Pass portion of the project is expected to be completed on or about September 15th, weather permitting.
Once the South end dredging and sand placement is complete, the dredging operations with the Pullen will move to the North end of the Key, using sand from Longboat Pass to fill two critically eroded areas on the North end of the Key.
All required State and Federal agency permits are in place for sand placement in these areas. The Town has also secured permits from Federal and State regulatory agencies to perform work at night.
Dredging operations will be occurring 24/7 to complete this work as quickly as possible. This extended hours work schedule is authorized by Town Code Section 130.02(D)12. “Governmental entity or governmental entity contractor for sound arising from a properly awarded governmental contract approved by the Town Commission.”
July 29, 2016 | Lights out for sea turtles! With a record sea turtle nesting season, the time has come for hatchlings to begin emerging onto the beach at night. Lights from upland areas can disorient the hatchlings and prevent them from reaching the Gulf.
The Central Key truck haul, Segments 1-4, is complete.
Beginning next week (the week of August 8th) the dredging contractor, Norfolk Dredging Company, will begin mobilizing equipment and pipe to the south end of Longboat Key to commence construction of Segment 5, the New Pass Dredging and Beach Nourishment Project. The dredge is expected to arrive August 15th. The dredging project from the New Pass channel borrow area will deliver sand to the southern L’Ambiance boundary and begin building the beach northward to Regent Place (approx.).
Norfolk Dredging Company’s dredge Pullen is a hydraulic cutterhead-suction pipeline dredge, approximately 150 ft in length and 40 ft wide. The dredge will use its 6,500 horsepower 24” on-board pumps to pump sand and water from the channel borrow area through a pipeline to the beach. No additional booster pumps will be used. Dredging operations will be occurring 24/7 to complete this work as quickly as possible.
Once the south end dredging and sand placement in Segment 5 is complete, the dredging operations with the Pullen will move to the north end of the Key, using sand from Longboat Pass to fill two segments down to Gulfside Road. This work will commence in September after Labor Day. At the same time, a supplemental truck haul of sand for the south end of the key, south of the dredge fill area, is planned for September.
Through all the activity, Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists have documented a Longboat Key record 1,077 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key this season. 192 nests have been relocated from the completed or upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. At least 57 nests have hatched, and the hatchlings reached Gulf waters.
Personnel from Sauers Environmental Management continue to monitor for shorebirds, which are mating and nesting along the Longboat Key shoreline.
July 15, 2016 | The Central Key truck haul is complete. The beach nourishment project will resume in early August with dredging and beach-fill at the south end of Longboat Key, using sand from New Pass. Dredging and beach-fill at the north end of the Key, using sand from Longboat Pass, will commence the second week in September. A supplemental truck haul of sand for the south end of the key also is planned for September.
July 12, 2016 | The final truckloads of sand for the Central Key beach nourishment project should be delivered this week.
The contractor will deliver the final loads of sand near the access point at Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive) by Wednesday or Thursday, and then will spend a week or two removing equipment and restoring the beach access.
As of July 11, nearly 300,000 tons of sand had been delivered by truck to Longboat Key since the project started in April. Almost 98 percent of the total truck tonnage has been delivered.
Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists have documented 876 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key, which is a record season for the island. One hundred thirty-eight nests have been relocated from construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. At least 20 nests have hatched, and the hatchlings reached Gulf waters.
Personnel from Sauers Environmental Management continue to monitor for shorebirds, which are mating and nesting along the Longboat Key shoreline.
Generally, the truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
July 1, 2016 | The truck haul beach nourishment project, which continues to progress ahead of schedule, will be temporarily suspended during Independence Day weekend, July 1-4.
Sand hauling in Segment 4 -- between the access point at Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive) and the 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive near the Seahorse Resort -- should be completed by July 15. The contractor will then spend a week or two removing equipment and restoring the beach access.
By June 30, over 275,000 tons of sand had been delivered by truck to Longboat Key since the project started in April. Approximately 89 percent of the total truck tonnage had been delivered.
As of June 27, Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists had documented 636 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key. Ninety-eight nests had been relocated from upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. At least three nests had hatched, and the hatchlings reached Gulf waters.
Personnel from Sauers Environmental Management continue to monitor for shorebirds, which are mating and nesting along the Longboat Key shoreline.
Generally, the truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
June 23, 2016 | The truck haul beach nourishment project, which continues to progress ahead of schedule, will be temporarily suspended during Independence Day weekend, July 1-4.
Work in Segment 4, between the access point at Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive) and the 3200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive, should be completed by mid-July.
By June 21, over 240,000 tons of sand had been delivered by truck to Longboat Key since the project started in April. Approximately 78 percent of the total truck tonnage has been delivered.
The frequency of sea turtle nesting is increasing as the Independence Day weekend approaches. That weekend is typically the peak of nesting on Longboat Key and coincides with the expected hatching of the first nests laid on Longboat Key in late April and May, according to Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists.
The biologists have documented 499 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key as of June 21. Eighty-two nests have been relocated from upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. Mote Marine personnel are working to determine how many nests may have been lost during Tropical Storm Colin.
Personnel from Sauers Environmental Management continue to monitor for shorebirds, which are mating and nesting along the Longboat Key shoreline. At least one nest was lost during the storm.
Generally, the truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
June 17, 2016 | An updated schedule for the beach nourishment project is available online. Please view or download the printable flyer (pdf). Dates are subject to change. Please bookmark this page and check back for status updates.
June 15, 2016 | The truck haul beach nourishment project resumed operations on June 9 after Tropical Storm Colin. The storm generated rough surf along the Longboat Key shoreline for over three days, destroying several sea turtle nests and at least one shorebird nest. The storm also eroded sand from the upper beach along most of Longboat Key, including areas recently built by the truck haul project. Post-storm assessments indicate that much of the eroded sand was carried directly offshore and is migrating back onshore in many areas.
Beach construction along Segment 3 is complete. (See photo below showing Segment 3 after Tropical Storm Colin.) Trucks are continuing to use the access point at Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive) to begin work on Segment 4. Trucks are rolling southward on the beach to the north boundary of the Beachcomber condominium (2721 Gulf of Mexico Drive), and sand will be placed northward to the access point over the next several weeks. The project will not affect sea turtle nests located near the Beachcomber.
As of June 12, almost 205,000 tons of sand had been delivered by truck to Longboat Key since the project started in April. Approximately 67 percent of the total truck tonnage has been delivered.
Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists have documented 343 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key as of June 13. Sixty-eight nests have been relocated from upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. Mote Marine personnel are working to determine how many nests may have been lost during Tropical Storm Colin.
Personnel from Sauers Environmental Management continue to monitor for shorebirds, which are mating and nesting along the Longboat Key shoreline. At least one nest was lost during the storm.
Generally, the truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
June 6, 2016 | The beach nourishment project team is closely watching the increasing wave and tidal surge conditions created by Tropical Storm Colin. The storm will create rough surf along the Longboat Key shoreline at least through Tuesday, June 7, and will affect sand placement, sea turtle nests and shorebird nests.
Beach construction continues to move quickly along Segment 3, which is over 70 percent complete. (See construction photos below.) Sand placement is now at Bayport, progressing southward to Beach Harbor Club (3810 Gulf of Mexico Drive) and Gulfshore (3743 Gulf of Mexico Drive). Barring storm delays, work in this segment is expected to reach the construction access at Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive) by the week of June 13. Operations will then move southward from the same access point to the 2900 block of Gulf of Mexico drive, north of the public access at 2825 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Since the project started in April, over 186,000 tons of sand have been delivered by truck to Longboat Key, accounting for approximately 60 percent of the total truck tonnage estimated for the project.
The sea turtle nesting season is ramping up. Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists have documented 196 sea turtle nests on Longboat Key, and over 35 nests have been relocated from upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests.
Shorebirds also are mating and nesting along the Longboat Key shoreline, and monitoring personnel from Sauers Environmental Monitoring have marked and fenced off shorebird nesting and fledging areas along the southern end of the project. Evaluations of these nest areas will be performed after Tropical Storm Colin passes. The project boundaries may be adjusted to avoid these areas.
Generally, the truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
May 26, 2016 | View beach construction from the air! A new aerial video of the beach nourishment project is available, showing the work north of the Colony property. This segment of the project has since been completed. To watch the construction crew in action, click here. (The link opens in the project engineer’s website.)
May 23, 2016 | Work is progressing rapidly along Segment 3 with sand placement from Pelican Harbour (4241 Gulf of Mexico Drive) southward. (See construction photos below.) Work will progress south until approximately the second half of June to the access site across Gulf of Mexico Drive from Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive). Operations will then move southward from the same access point to Veinte (2675 Gulf of Mexico Drive).
The access at Atlas Street (4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive) has re-opened to the public, and the new beach is already home to several sea turtle nests.
Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists continue to monitor the beach and have relocated more than seven nests from upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests. Thus far this season, there are more than 29 nests along the Longboat Key shoreline.
The contractor will suspend operations on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend (May 28-30) to allow residents and visitors uninterrupted use of the beach. Generally, the truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
May 16, 2016 | With completion of the truck hauling operations at the Atlas Street beach access (4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive), approximately one-third of the beach nourishment project for the Central Key has been completed. The beach access at Atlas Street should re-open to the public by May 20.
Sand-hauling trucks begin arriving on Monday, May 16 at the access site across Gulf of Mexico Drive from Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive). This is a private access, so no public access points will be affected. Truck hauling on the beach will extend from the access point northward to Pelican Harbour (4241 Gulf of Mexico Drive). Beach fill operations will progress from north to south back toward the Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove access. Work in this segment is expected to take several weeks to complete before operations shift to the beaches south of the access.
Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists continue to monitor the beach and have relocated several nests from upcoming construction areas to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb the nests.
The truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
Photo below shows the completed stretch of beach at the Atlas Street access point.
May 11, 2016 | Trained staff from Mote Marine Laboratory relocated the first loggerhead sea turtle nest found in the beach nourishment project area. When nests are laid in active nourishment or truck-hauling areas, or areas that will receive sand within 65 days, Mote scientists who are permitted by the state will move nests to unaffected areas where construction activity will not disturb them.
The first relocation went well; there were 115 eggs that should hatch approximately 55 days from the date they were laid. Please do not attempt to move nests or interact with sea turtles. Such activity is illegal. Mote personnel are specially permitted to work with sea turtles and their nests. If you are concerned about a nest, hatchlings or adult turtles, please contact Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program at 941-388-4331.
Jaime Neill, Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program's lead technician on Longboat Key, is carefully placing sea turtle eggs into their new egg cavity. Mote Sea Turtle Patrol volunteers Jon Prettyman and Denise Tarutis pose with the newly relocated nest staked off.
 
May 4, 2016 | Truck hauling operations at the Atlas Street beach access (4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive) are approximately 40 percent complete. This segment of the project, which extends from the Westchester southward to Casa del Mar (4621 to 4825 Gulf of Mexico Drive), should be completed by May 13. The public will be notified when the beach access reopens.
The contractor is preparing the next access site across Gulf of Mexico Drive from Gulfshore/Buttonwood Cove (3710 Gulf of Mexico Drive). This is a private easement, so no public access points will be affected. Beginning the week of May 16, sand will be placed from Pelican Harbour (4241 Gulf of Mexico Drive) southward to the access point.
Longboat Key’s first sea turtle nests of the season were found on the north end of the island. No nests have been found in areas affected by beach construction. Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists continue to monitor the beach and will relocate nests as necessary to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb them.
The truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
May 2, 2016 | Sand delivery to the beach segment between Aria and Seaplace (2295 to 2045 Gulf of Mexico Drive) is complete, with the last of 3,058 truckloads of sand delivered on April 26 (see photo below from April 27). Truck hauling operations have shifted to the Atlas Street beach access at 4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The beach access will be closed to the public for approximately three weeks. This segment of the project extends from the Westchester southward to Casa del Mar (4621 to 4825 Gulf of Mexico Drive).
Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists began monitoring the beach on April 15 for signs of sea turtle nesting. No activity has been spotted on Longboat Key. Sea turtle nests that are found in work areas will be relocated to safe areas of the beach where construction activity will not disturb them. Sea turtle monitoring will continue throughout the project.
The truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
April 22, 2016 | Work on the first segment of the beach nourishment project is approximately 85 percent complete. More than 2,400 truckloads of sand have been delivered from the mine in Immokalee for placement on the beach south of the Islander Club, in the area from the Aria condominium southward to the Bay Isles Beach Club and the Sunset Beach condominium, Villa di Lancia, and En Provence Condominiums (see photos below from April 7 and April 20).
Mote Marine Laboratory sea turtle biologists continue to monitor the beach for signs of sea turtle nesting, but none have been identified yet. Sea turtle nests that are found in work areas will be relocated to safe areas of the beach where no construction activity will disturb them.
After work is completed in this segment, truck haul operations will shift to the Atlas Street public beach access at 4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The access point will close to the public temporarily, beginning the week of April 25 for beach construction north of Westchester Condominiums to Casa Del Mar resort, 4825 to 4621 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
April 12, 2016 | Crews are making good progress on the first phase of the truck haul operation to nourish beaches on central Longboat Key. As of today, more than 700 truckloads of sand have been delivered from the mine in Immokalee for placement on the beach south of the Islander Club, in the vicinity of the Aria and Villa di Lancia Condominiums. This represents about 24 percent of the sand that will be used in this area. After work is completed in this segment, truck haul operations will shift to the Atlas Street public beach access at 4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The truck haul operates 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with sand hauling trucks traversing the beach in both directions, escorted by ATV for safety. Please pardon the interruption while we work to enhance the beach.
April 7, 2016 | Work commenced on the Longboat Key beach nourishment project on April 6 with the first phase of the truck haul operation. Sixty-two truck loads of sand were delivered through the Colony access for sand placement south of the Islander Club groins. Over the next few weeks, approximately 40,000 cubic yards of sand will be delivered to this segment of the beach, and the daily number of trucks will increase to accelerate completion of the work. During this period, numerous sand hauling trucks will be traversing the beach from the Colony to the fill site, escorted by ATV for safety. When work is completed in this segment, truck haul operations will shift immediately to the Atlas Street area. Please view the video below to watch the crew place sand on the beach.
April 4, 2016 | Trucks carrying sand for the first phase that focuses on central Longboat Key will begin arriving Wednesday, April 6, from a sand mine in Immokalee, Florida. The trucks will reach the beach through the Colony property at 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Approximately 40,000 cubic yards of sand will be added from the Islander Club Condominium, 2295 Gulf of Mexico Drive, southward to the north end of the Seaplace Condominiums, 2045 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The segment is scheduled for completion by mid-May.
Members of the beach nourishment project team, shown below, inspected the sand stockpile at a mine in Immokalee, Florida, in March. Pictured is approximately half the amount of sand that will be delivered to Longboat Key's beaches.
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