Many beachgoers won't be happy: Mickler's Landing to close for restoration, why now?

Tristan Hardy
Updated ·2 min read
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Mickler's Landing will be closed in the coming weeks and throughout most of the summer while crews work on a beach restoration project, according to Times-Union news partner First Coast News.

The project, also known as the "Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project," will include fixing storm-damaged dunes and berms, dredging, sand placement and storm protection to upland infrastructure.

County officials said homes and roadways are also at risk of collapsing or flooding. County commissioners unanimously voted to spend nearly $38.6 million on restoring the beaches.

The project will stretch from the St. Johns-Duval County line to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserves. According to St. Johns County, the distance is about 9 miles of coastline.

County officials said the project will directly impact Mickler's Landing Beach Front Park.

A wall of sand stands where the dune once sloped to the beach North of Mickler's Landing in South Ponte Vedra Beach in this 2022 file photo. Erosion of the already storm-damaged dunes was made worse by winds and high tides from Tropical Storm Nicole passing by Northeast Florida a week before. Now Mickler's Landing will have be temporarily closed for a new beach restoration project expected to last most of the summer.

The park and beach will be temporarily closed mid-to-late March. Crews are expected to begin sand placement sometime in April. Dredging and beach operations will be conducted 24/7. Afterward, crews will pack up leave by mid-to-late August.

Beachgoers not happy

First Coast Newstalked with beachgoers who expressed their dissatisfaction.

"They always wait and do it when people are coming to the beach and not during the winter months when it's cold and nobody is coming here. Doesn't make sense," David Hale said.

"I think they can do it at another time. Like November through March. Instead of the whole summer months when kids are out of school," Mary-Beth Younge added.

According to the coastal management, working during the winter months means crews would be active during Whale season and Nor'easter season. They believe it would be better to restore the beach while the weather is calm during the summer months.

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Previous erosion work

This follows erosion from Tropical Storms Ian and Nicole and a separate $34 million beach project that began last year to help 11.5 miles of deteriorated shoreline scattered between the Duval County line and the southern end of Crescent Beach, according to a Florida Times-Union story in 2022.

The work, called the FEMA Dune Enhancement Project, was meant to create an “emergency berm” to defend the shoreline temporarily while agencies developed long-term protection plans.

Beach repairs can’t be done without property owners approving easements for the work to happen.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ponte Vedra Beach restoration to close Mickler's Landing