Atlantic City finally receives much-needed beach replenishment project

In the United States, Atlantic City is undergoing a much-anticipated beach replenishment project aimed at addressing significant beach erosion affecting its shoreline. This initiative, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is set to widen beaches across Atlantic City and some adjacent towns like Ventnor, Margate, and Longport. The project involves the placement of 1.2 million cubic yards of sand, equating to approximately 120,000 dump trucks, to mitigate losses caused by regular tidal actions and intensified storm activity stemming from climate change. The last beach replenishment in the area occurred in 2020, with this further project initially scheduled for 2023 but delayed due to funding issues from Congress, leaving many businesses affected by a lack of usable beach space during the peak tourist seasons over the last two summers. By prioritizing the most eroded sections of the beach, particularly in the northern end, the plan aims to restore not just the beach but also the local economy which has suffered due to insufficient beach access. Resorts Casino Hotel and other venues reported a significant decline in visitors due to this situation, prompting some casinos, like Ocean, to invest their own finances for temporary sand trucking, which did not yield long-lasting results. The expected completion of the current project, which is anticipated to revamp the beach area, should be finalized within two to four months, allowing for more expansive beach access in time for the next summer tourism season. As beach replenishment efforts continue across various New Jersey coastal towns, the hope remains that these interventions will ensure a sustainable environment for residents and tourists alike, benefiting both the landscape and the local economy involved in tourism.