The Army Corps of Engineers recently 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.

According to the latest project update, the dredger Illinois is in place at the offshore borrow area, and sand-pumping operations began yesterday. Beaches covering 1,000 feet of work area from the First Street jetty to the Third Street jetty will be closed today. These include the guarded beaches at St. Charles Place and Pennlyn Place.