Boaters and water enthusiasts may need to put their plans on pause as the Vilano Boat Ramp braces for temporary closures. St. Johns County has announced that, due to dredging efforts intended to enhance navigation and safety, the ramp will be periodically off-limits over the coming weeks. This is part of an operation aiming to address channels pinched tight by low tides and the bustle of heavy machinery at work, as noted in a statement obtained by St. Johns County.
The nitty-gritty details come down to a schedule that sees the site closed from May 12-15 and again from May 19-22. A contingency plan also sets aside May 27-30 as potential additional closure dates, should the dredging gods call for it. When the ramp was subjected to similar actions back in 2017, Brance Diversified, the contractor helming the operation, sought a 10-day closure to secure the safety and efficiency of their work.
In the grand scheme, the Vilano dredge project is a part of a larger initiative by the County—their Annual Pre-Dredge Survey Program—which intends to stay ahead of sediment build-up at key public boat ramps. Vilano, alongside its counterparts Doug Crane and Butler West, falls under the watchful eye of this program. According to St. Johns County's announcement, the current efforts look to excavate around 6,000 cubic yards of sediment from the channel and boat basin.
While the ramp suffers closures, the area's parking and facilities remain unscathed, patiently awaiting the return of boaters. Down the road, county staff will eye the temporary closure schedule once more to hammer down the details. Monitoring of dredging operations will persist until the project finds its finish line, and investigations into the causes behind sediment build-up are ongoing, which will hopefully inform better planning strategies moving forward, as detailed by the St. John County's site.
