Pass a Grille beach nourishment advances to next phase

Pass-a-Grille beach nourishment advances to next phase

Pass-a-Grille beach nourishment has been mostly completed south of Paradise Grille and will move to the north end of the beach early next week. The south end of the beach from the 3rd Avenue access to Paradise Grille will reopen as early as Monday, Sept. 9.

The jetty pier and access points at 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue will remain closed for the duration of the project. Fencing is being installed around Paradise Grille today, and the beach behind the Grille will be closed. The Grille remains open. Beginning early next week, the beach will be closed from the Grille to just past the 15th Avenue access until late September.

The final phase of nourishment will take place after that between 16th Avenue and 22nd Avenue, and the beach from Paradise Grille to 16th Avenue will reopen.

The entire project is expected to be completed by late November.

Dunes are fragile, especially when newly planted with vegetation. It's important for beachgoers to stay off the dunes and only access the beach through the designated access points.

Pass-a-Grille is on a 10-year nourishment cycle and was due for sand this year. Nourishment projects like this replace sand lost to storms and normal erosion. They restore white sandy beaches that boost the County's $10 billion annual tourism industry and provide a buffer against storm surge. Because federal nourishment projects along the Pinellas County coast are stalled, the County is funding this project through hotel bed tax dollars and state grant funding.