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Army Corps announces completion of Sea Gate reach of Coney Island Shore Protection Project

June 14, 2016 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer speaks about the completion of the Sea Gate Reach of the Coney Island Shore Protection Project. Photo courtesy of U.S. Sen. Schumer’s office
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer speaks about the completion of the Sea Gate Reach of the Coney Island Shore Protection Project. Photo courtesy of U.S. Sen. Schumer’s office
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Col. David Caldwell, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District, announced on Monday the completion of the Sea Gate Reach of the Coney Island Shore Protection Project. Caldwell was joined by U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler and U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, as well as New York State DEC and the City of New York.

The $25 million project will increase resiliency and reduce the risks that coastal storms pose to residents and businesses on Coney Island. It will also prevent sand erosion from the Coney Island Public Beach and surrounding beaches, which played a key role in helping to mitigate storm surge damage during Superstorm Sandy. The project is federally funded through the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, the Sandy Relief Bill (Public Law 113-2). 

“The completion of the Coney Island coastal protection project is great news and will provide desperately needed security against future storms and floods for the people of Coney Island and Sea Gate,” said Schumer.  

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Caldwell stated, “The Sea Gate Reach portion of this project not only marks the completion of this shore protection effort, it ensures that Coney Island Beach will be stronger and retain its sand for longer.”

The first phase of the project started more than 20 years ago with the widening and elevating of Coney Island beach from Corbin Place to West 37th Street. Since then, beach replenishment, groin work and other work has been done to ensure that Coney Island is ready for the next storm event. USACE placed 70,000 cubic yards of sand at Sea Gate Beach in this last phase.

The project completion also comes with four new T-groin structures, each one the size of a football field. In addition, the Norton Point Dike and the West 37th Street Terminal Groin were reinforced with bedding stone. Together, these enhancements will minimize sand erosion and reduce damage to homes and business in the event of another storm.

Future phases of this project will include the placement of 30,000 cubic yards of sand every 10 years. The entire $25 million project was funded by the Sandy relief package and will offer significant protection to the area, which has suffered frequent flooding, erosion and damage from rain and coastal storms in recent years. 

 


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