Mickler’s Landing Temporary Closure to Accelerate Completion of Beach Restoration
- 7 June 2024
- Category: SJC News Beaches Coastal Projects
- Tags: 2024
St. Johns County will temporarily close Mickler’s Landing parking and beach access from Thursday, June 13, through Friday, June 21, so that the County’s selected contractor, Weeks Marine, can accelerate its work on the Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project. Additionally, Mickler’s Landing parking and beach access will be closed from Monday, June 24, through Friday, June 28. The Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project was originally anticipated to be completed by mid-August, but the tireless work of Weeks Marine and County staff has accelerated the completion of the project by about two months, affording the public the opportunity to enjoy one of St. Johns County’s finest amenities during the summer.
The public can stay updated on the project and beach parking closures at www.sjcfl.us/PVB and by using the County’s mobile app SJC Connect, available at www.sjcfl.us/SJC-Connect.
The Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project will provide substantial coastline fortifications, including dune reconstruction between 13 and 18 feet, beach berm elevation of approximately nine feet, and beach width increase of 40 to 180 feet post-construction.
In coordination with this valuable coastal restoration project, St. Johns County continues to sustain important environmental and physical monitoring of the coastline. Sea turtle nesting season began May 1 and runs through Oct. 31. In 2023, St. Johns County beaches saw a record 133 green sea turtle nests as part of 1,205 total nests and an estimated 79,811 sea turtle hatchlings. St. Johns County recorded these historic conservation successes amid multiple full-scale beach nourishment projects, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Augustine Shore Protection Project, the South Ponte Vedra and Vilano Army Corps Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, the South Ponte Vedra Dune Project, and the FEMA Dune Enhancement Project that has been renourishing St. Johns County beaches in the wake of erosion from Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole.