A contractor for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is set to begin work on an interim project to protect Cumberland County’s East Point Lighthouse – an icon of the Delaware Bay region and the state’s second oldest lighthouse – from storm surge and flooding.
The $460,150 project will be implemented by Cape May County-based Walters Marine Construction, using a grant the State Historic Preservation Office secured from the National Park Service.
“This project will provide protection while long-term solutions are evaluated and developed to protect the East Point Lighthouse from storms and sea-level rise,” NJDEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said.
“We continue to work closely with local officials, the state legislative delegation and the Maurice River Township Historical Society on developing a long-term plan to protect this iconic beacon that stands as a symbol for the Delaware Bay region and its rich maritime heritage.”
The interim protection system consists of a geotube, which is an 8-foot-diameter tube made of a durable synthetic membrane filled with sand.
A series of mattresses also filled with sand and made of durable synthetic membrane, will be placed along the front edge of the geotube. This system will extend 570 feet, running from the public boat ramp to higher ground along the bay.
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.