The Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $19.5 million contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company to rebuild Ocean City's north-end beaches with 1.6 million cubic yards of sand. The project area will extend from Seaspray Beach to 12th Street. This is the 11th renourishment project for the north end of Ocean City since our 50-year agreement with the Army Corps began in the early 1990s.
LATEST UPDATE
July 13, 2026: Beaches covering a work area from the First Street jetty to the Third Street jetty are closed on Monday (July 13). These include the guarded beaches at St. Charles Place and Pennlyn Place.
Guarded beaches north of the First Street jetty (Stenton, North Street) and south of the Third Street jetty (Park Place, Brighton) will be open to swimmers during this first phase of work.
Sand-pumping will resume after a repair to the offshore subline on Monday. The work area is expected to be the same for Tuesday (July 14) and will move next to the beaches including Park Place, Fourth Street and Brighton Place.
Delivery and placement of equipment continues. The Morningside Road dune crossover is closed Monday to allow for the delivery of pipes to the work area. Initial mobilization is expected to be complete with the beach entrance at Morningside reopening tentatively by the end of Tuesday, July 14.
In the first stage, work will proceed southward toward 12th Street. When that is complete, work will move northward toward Great Egg Harbor Inlet. Approximately 1,000 feet of beach (two blocks) surrounding the immediate work area will be closed to public access at any time. Sand-pumping operations will continue 24 hours a day for the duration of the project.
All projected timelines are subject to weather delays, equipment and logistics issues, and multiple other factors. Please check back regularly for updates.
PROJECT FACTS
When: Summer 2026
Where: Beaches between Ocean City's terminal groin near Seaview Road and the area around 12th Street
Who: Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company is the contractor for the job.
What: Ocean City beaches will receive 1.6 million cubic yards of sand to rebuild eroded beaches.
Why: The projects are designed to protect coastal property.
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