The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is urging beachgoers to avoid a 1,200 foot long construction site on St. Augustine Beach while it undergoes renourishment.
Sand is being pumped onto the beach from the St. Augustine Pier to 9th Street as part of a five month project to replenish the beach and combat erosion.
The Corps is warning beachgoers of the dangers of the site and to avoid the walking and swimming by the active construction site, including cutting through to reach the water. The rest of the beach remains open to the public.
“We stress for people to use those public access points that have been set up along the beach,” spokeswoman for the Corps Amanda Parker said. “It allows the public to safely access the beach and not in an active construction zone.”
The Corps urged swimmers to avoid the area because of underwater pipes connected to the offshore drudges. The pipes are pumping sand onto the beach, and the soft bottoms can cause unpredictable conditions such as rip currents and “submerged hazards” according to a notice from the Corps.
According to the notice from the Corps, the project is scheduled to conclude this month.
Gabrielle Garay can be reached at newsteam@wjct.org, 904-358-6317, or on Twitter at @GabbyAGaray
