Solana Beach is gearing up for a major facelift starting today, as heavy machinery rolls into town, marking the kickoff of the much-anticipated Solana Beach and Encinitas Coastal Storm Damage Reduction & Beach Replenishment Project. The Fletcher Cove parking lot, overlook, and access ramp will be off-limits. The move is a safety play to allow for the delivery of the big rigs and gear needed to pump up those sandy shores, per the City of Solana Beach.
The inconvenience might frustrate some sun worshippers, but city officials are already smoothing the way. They're herding the public to three alternate beach stairways at Tide Park, Del Mar Shores, and Seascape Sur. According to the official line from the city, "The closures of the parking lot, beach overlook and access ramp are necessary to protect public safety while the contractor delivers the equipment needed to restore the City’s beaches."
Local surfers and sunbathers will need to share the waves and the rays starting tomorrow as the project revs up seven days a week from dawn until early evening. The whole shindig is expected to last about 60 days.
If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, the city suggests taking a gander from the Fletcher Cove Community Center area, for those who want a peek at the action. Mind the water turbidity, though, and don’t be surprised at the surge in shorebird population. They're big fans of the dredged-up buffet, the city noted in their press release, "During active construction, the public may experience increased heavy equipment and vehicles on the beach, temporary closures of sections of the beach during active sand placement, fencing to protect public safety, water turbidity, and extra shorebird activity as shorebirds love to forage in the dredged material."
