As demolition crews dismantle the two-mile boardwalk in Long Beach, workers continue to restore the tons of sand that was forced off the beach during Hurricane Sandy last October.
The city’s beaches lost five feet of sand elevation during the storm, leaving behind from four to 14 feet of it on streets, and crews that cleaned up the mess have piled the sand at the Superblock on East Broadway. The original mound, dubbed “Mount Sandy,” stood about five stories high, but has been reduced to below three stories as crews sift through the sand for debris and potential toxins before restoring it. The project is slated to cost about $10 million, according to a report by Fox News Channel.
City Manager Jack Schnirman told Fox News reporter Anna Kooiman:
“It was really great to start to see the mountain go down, knowing that that means the sand is ultimately getting sifted and cleaned and put back on the beach for our safety and security, and ultimately so we have a great summer season.”
The city is expected to ask the federal government for up to $40 million in aid to rebuild the beach to protect against future storms.
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