- April 18, 2024
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The beach along an 11.4-mile stretch of Flagler County's coastline has been reinforced with 690,000 tons of sand, and the work — completed by county government staff with the assistance of contractors — cost millions of dollars less than the county initially thought it might.
"We have become somewhat of a model for the rest of the counties in the state. ... Several counties have come and said, 'How did you do this?'"
— GREG HANSEN, Flagler County commissioner
The 13-month project began Jan. 22, 2018, and cost $18 million. Initial estimates had placed it at $28.3 million before subsequent calculations lowered that number by several million dollars.
"This was an amazing feat that you all accomplished, our road and bridge folks and our engineers," County Commissioner Greg Hansen said to a group of county employees and contractors assembled at the County Commission chambers for a celebratory project completion reception on May 6. "It’s remarkable, and we have become somewhat of a model for the rest of the counties in the state. ... Several counties have come and said, 'How did you do this?'"
The dunes are made to be sacrificial: They'll help protect the properties along the coast from storms and erosion, and will be surveyed each year in compliance with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection permit required for the project, according to a county staff presentation.
The project, designed by Taylor Engineering's Kenneth Craig, was funded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection; the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Flagler County; and the Hammock Dunes, Ocean Hammock, and Hammock Beach Club homeowners associations.
"I’ve seen beach projects all over the country, and this is unique," Craig said. "This is really something that you guys should be really proud of. Again, doing something like this in-house is unprecedented."
