Lessons Learned from Beth
Looking out over Woodmont Beach Wednesday afternoon, Woodmont Warden discussed the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Beth in 1992.
"Twenty years ago, we had $1.5 million worth of damage," Bonessi said. "This sidewalk was flipped over, you could see the gas and water lines in the streets."
Bonessi estimated that the $1.5 million worth of damage would equal $8 million today, accounting for inflation.
Following Beth, Army Corps and the John Casey designed a set up involving a heavy concrete and sand mixture underneath the beach's surface, with huge stones, known as riprap, positioned against the sand and smaller rocks leading up to the sidewalk.
Warden Bonessi noted that what Army Corps and the late John Casey designed twenty years ago made sure that Irene caused only a half million dollars worth of damage last summer, rather than the $8 million or more that could have been done.
Mayor and Warden Working Together
At a press conference held between Center Beach and Hawley Aveue Beach, together commonly known as Woodmont Beach, and Warden Bonessi discussed the 9,000 cubic yards of sand have been shipped in from Cape Cod to restore Woodmont Beach.
"We're getting a half million dollars from FEMA," Mayor Blake said, explaining where funds for the project are coming from. "It's been surprisingly speedy. It's going to be ready for Memorial Day."
Warden Bonessi noted that following Irene, Woodmont Beach only lost forty feet of sidewalk, rather than the half mile that was ripped off in Beth's wake.
A half million dollars is a lot of damage, but considering what could have happened during Irene, that number can only be viewed as progress.
