Photos by Hannah Maynard
Green fences will be blocking the ocean view along a stretch of Bluff Park through May of next year as the second phase of a bluff stabilization project gets underway.
The $4.4 million project will install 2,500 30-foot-long steel anchor rods into the bluff in an attempt to mitigate the effects of decades of erosion on the area of beachfront land from 20th Place to Paloma Ave. Phase one stabilized the area between Redondo Ave. and 36th Place and was completed last year.
“Protecting the bluff and mitigating further erosion will help Long Beach maintain its beautiful coastline for all to enjoy,” Mayor Bob Foster said in a statement.
In addition to soil-nail technology, the City’s Ocean Boulevard Erosion and Enhancement Project also replaces cracked sidewalk on the top of the bluff and guardrails that have begun to slide down the hill towards the sand. Native landscaping–including planter pockets–and a new drip irrigation system will also be installed to prevent future erosion in the area.
Funded by the Tidelands Operations Fund, the project has no impact on the General Fund. Work is expected to be completed in May 2014 with green-screen fences being utilized while work is occuring below.