Repairs to Dune Walkovers & Beach Access to Begin in March

Repairs to Hurricane Damaged Dune Walkovers and Beach Accesses Projected to Begin in March and Completed by Easter Weekend

North Myrtle Beach, SC - February 14, 2017 - The City of North Myrtle Beach has issued a request for bids to repair dune walkovers and/or beach accesses damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Although damage to dune walkovers and beach accesses occurred all along the City’s nine miles of beach, a disproportionate amount of the damage was concentrated in the Cherry Grove section of the city. It will take two to three weeks for contractors to submit their bids to the City. If the bids come in at or under the City’s estimate, a contractor will be selected and the work will begin in mid-to-late March. The goal is to complete the repairs prior to Easter weekend. A large percentage of the cost to repair dune walkovers and beach accesses damaged by Hurricane Matthew may in time be reimbursed by FEMA but the City must first expend the money from its own resources. This was also the case with the much larger costs associated with the collection and disposal of hurricane related vegetative and other debris from streets, parks and other venues in North Myrtle Beach. “The upfront costs of hurricane debris removal, the repairs to dune walkovers and beach accesses, overtime, and other hurricane related costs has put some temporary pressure on the City’s budget,” said City Manager Mike Mahaney, “but the City has  been able to meet those demands by adapting to the situation. We have been able to stagger repair and other projects so that they can be accomplished without having to seek additional revenue. And we are very fortunate that in the foreseeable future a decent percentage of our hurricane related expenditures will be reimbursed by FEMA.”