Construction of the Cardiff Beach Living Shoreline Project, aimed to improve habitat and protect Cardiff State Beach and Highway 101 from coastal flooding, is moving forward, with a projected completion date of late February 2019.
The City of Encinitas awarded a construction contract for the Cardiff Beach Living Shoreline Project at the City Council meeting on September 26.
The contract was awarded to West-Tech, Inc. for $1.8 million and a construction management agreement with GHD, Inc. for $180,698.
Shoreline area between Restaurant Row and South Cardiff State Beach is vulnerable to coastal flooding during large storm events and projected sea level rise.
The City has partnered with the California Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR), California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy with grants from the SCC and the Ocean Protection Council to reduce the vulnerability of Coast Highway 101 to flooding, create coastal dune habitat, create a pedestrian path along the dunes, and beneficially reuse sand from future San Elijo Lagoon annual dredging operations.
Under the project, dredged sand will be placed along the northern project length on the beach until it can be used to finish the newly constructed dunes.
The project also includes a new, full length trail between Highway 101 with designated beach access points through the dunes delineated with post and rope fencing.