“This project was conducted by the Avalon Department of Public Works with rented equipment, and completed ahead of time and under budget”, said Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi.  “Avalon was the first beach community in New Jersey to commit to sand back passing projects as a way to bridge the gap between hydraulic beach fill projects.  This allows the Borough to restore beaches on our schedule, with our manpower, to produce the highest level of efficiency possible”.

The sand back passing project results in sand being removed from a permitted borrow area south of the Avalon Fishing Pier below the high water mark.  The wet sand is methodically scraped and trucked to the north end beaches, then graded to an engineered template.  The back passing project results in no dry upland sand removed from the borrow area.  During a spring back passing project, new sand is replenished in the borrow area on nearly a daily basis result in marginal overall sand loss.

The Avalon Department of Public Works will stockpile a small quantity of sand on north end beaches that will be graded out before Memorial Day weekend in the event a spring storm occurs in May.  Public Works will also conduct a final grade and smoothing of sand in the borrow area before Memorial Day.

The sand back passing project is a component of Avalon’s overall beach and dune management and maintenance plan.  It is anticipated that a hydraulic beach fill project will go out to bid in the coming months that will result in a larger beach fill project with participation from the federal and state governments.

Photos taken of Avalon’s 11th Street beach on Thursday, April 25th, 2019 by Avalon Business Administrator Scott Wahl.