The New Jersey Department of Transportation officials recently announced the completion of three dredging projects, including the Shark River, to restore waterways in Monmouth County to navigable depths.
Many of these channels in Shark River, Shrewsbury, and Keansburg had been shoaled in since Superstorm Sandy, limiting boating options, emergency response, and commercial vessel traffic in the area. These channels are now considered to be in a state of good repair for the 2018 boating season, and will provide access to enhanced recreational and economic activity for summer visitors and residents alike.
NJDOT has invested $20.2 million on statewide dredging projects to restore various channels
Work on the Shark River began in November 2015, and continued through winter 2017.
NJDOT’s contractor, Mobile Dredging and Video Pipe, Inc., removed approximately 70,000 cubic yards of material from the Shark River Channels to return the channels to a state of good repair for the first time in more than 30 years.
The $7.6 million project, done in partnership with Monmouth County, Neptune, Neptune City, and Belmar, was completed in phases to comply with federal regulations that prohibit dredging work between January and June 30.
The first phase removed nearly 50,000 cubic yards of material to bring channel widths to 75 feet wide and 6-feet deep.
Beginning in September 2017, phase two removed 20,000 cubic yards of material, with contractors working 6 days a week and 12 hours a day to achieve full navigational status in Shark River Bay Sate Channels.
