Starting Nov. 1, dump trucks will be rolling through Central Beach daily hauling sand to replenish the stretch of beach that extends from Riomar north to Mariner Village.

The project, estimated to cost between $7.5 million and $8.5 million, will restore sand and vegetation to shoreline ravaged by hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.

Trucks are permitted to enter and exit the beaches from Tracking Station, Jaycee, Conn, Humiston and Riomar beach access points. However, when crews renourished these beaches in 2020 after hurricanes Irma, Matthew and Dorian decimated the shoreline, trucks only entered from Tracking Station, Conn and Riomar beaches, said Quintin Bergman, county coastal resource manager.

Some beach parks may be temporarily closed during construction to ensure the safety of beach-going residents and visitors, Bergman said. “We ask that beachgoers avoid construction areas, heavy equipment, and any areas marked off as sea turtle nests,” he said.

Approximately 153,300 cubic yards of sand will be spread by bulldozers along the 3.1 miles of coastline from Nov. 1 through Feb. 29, 2026, excluding holidays around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

If needed, work may continue during an extended window between Mar. 1 and April 30, but workers will be required to protect nesting sea turtles, Bergman said. Sea turtle nesting season begins Mar. 1 and continues through Oct. 31 each year. No work is permitted past April 30, Bergman said.

Sand for this project will come from upland mines that meet federal and state permit specifications, Bergman said. In addition, approximately 117,500 native species plants – mostly sea oats – will be planted to help stabilize the dunes.

Engineering firm APTIM estimated the cost to complete Sector 5 beach and dune renourishment at $7.5 million to $8.5 million. Bids from six contractors, ranging from $6.55 million to $10.96 million, were opened on Oct. 6.

Funding for this beach renourishment project comes from a $2.39 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program and a $885,600 reimbursement grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, with the remaining cost to be paid with revenue from the county’s Tourist Development Tax.

County staff members are coordinating with City of Vero Beach engineering staff to place sand at Humiston Beach Park in a manner that doesn’t impede efforts to reconstruct the Humiston Beach boardwalk, which was heavily damaged by hurricanes Ian and Nicole, and ultimately demolished by city crews, Bergman said.

The city is in the process of raising the estimate $4.6 million needed to rebuild the boardwalk, and as of August has secured grants and pledges for about half that amount from the county, state and federal governments and contributions from the community.