FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A dune and beach renourishment project is underway where the Army Corp of Engineers will dredge and restore three miles of dunes along highway A1A.    

Flagler County city commissioner Rick Belhumeur says they have been preparing for the dredging project for some 14 years and is happy that it will begin on Wednesday.

“It’s the biggest thing we have had happen in Flagler Beach,” said Belhumeur.

The $27 million project will take sand located seven miles offshore and move it onshore to create protective dunes and beach.

This will be done with heavy dredging equipment and pipes already set up and is expected to move 1.3 million cubic yards of materials.

“So, what this will do is that it will add more beach, which will push the water back, and make it have to travel farther before it gets to the dunes and eats them up,” said Belhumeur.

The Army Corp is expected to pick up 65% of the cost, leaving Flagler County and FDOT to pay for the rest.

The dune renourishment program is considered the initial start of what is a 50-year agreement with the Army Corp of Engineers, which includes the group repairing storm damage free of charge to the county.

Another project underway is protecting highway A1A from future hurricanes and storms.

The goal is to restore the Flagler County shoreline to pre-hurricane conditions. That includes efforts to drive 40-foot pilings in the ground, which will protect A1A from washing away during future storms.

Once the dredging is completed sometime in November, the Flagler Pier will be restored at a cost of $20 million.