Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. yesterday marked the beginning of construction for Phase II of the Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project in Port Monmouth.
Also attending the ceremony were Colonel David A. Caldwell, Commander of the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bob Martin, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection and Middletown Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger.
In July of 2016, the Corps awarded a $13,696,687.00 contract to fulfill this second phase of the project. The plans for Phase II include constructing a system of levees, a floodwall, a tide gate, road closure structures, road raising and pump stations.
This contract is part of the estimated $105 million project to protect Port Monmouth, and is paid for by funds in the Sandy relief package that Pallone worked to secure in 2013.
The first phase of the project was completed in June of 2015 and involved dune restoration, beach replenishment, groin work, extension of the fishing pier, and construction of protective dunes.
USACE estimates the project will be completed in its entirety by 2019.