The Town of Duck announced Tuesday the beach nourishment project along the town’s northern oceanfront will be delayed until at least the middle of next March.
“This change in schedule, while unfortunate, will have beach nourishment completed before the busier time of year and after the typically heavier part of the winter storm season,” according to a statement from the town.
Weeks Marine informed the town this week that the delay is required after they started running behind in recent weeks due to equipment issues and weather-related delays, and their commitment to a time-sensitive job elsewhere.
This is not the first time Weeks Marine has run into issues completing a beach nourishment project along the Outer Banks.
The same company ran into numerous mechanical and weather delays while widening the beaches from The Haulover to the old Coast Guard base in Buxton between 2017 and 2018.
Over the summer and early fall, Weeks Marine widened the beaches of Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk, and is currently working off Southern Shores.
The projects along South Nags Head, Avon and Buxton were completed this summer by Great Lakes Dock and Dredge.
Equipment staging had already taken place in the last several weeks north of the Army Corps of Engineers Research Pier, and crews were scheduled to move up the beach after sand pumping was completed along Southern Shores.
Approximately 1.6 miles of Duck’s shoreline was scheduled to receive sand between the pier and Skimmer Way at a cost of $7,394,516.
Dare County, which is the administrator of the contract, will be working with Weeks Marine and Coastal Protection Engineering to modify the contract.
“This will include assurances that any beach/dune losses between now and when the project is completed are properly replaced, and that Weeks Marine will be responsible for all costs associated with additional sand and delays,” according to the statement from Town of Duck.