The paths have moved, the dunes are flatter and there isn’t as much sand as there once was. But the south shore has come a long way since three destructive storms hit the Island this winter, and managers say they are ready for summer crowds.
Efforts to ease the Island’s housing crunch, funding for repairs to South Beach and potential borrowing to shore up aging septic pipes will all be put before Edgartown voters at town meeting next week.
The road along South Beach initially closed in December, when a sinkhole opened up during the first of a trio of storms. A culvert in the area failed during a second storm, causing even further damage.
Workers have already begun forming new dunes on South Beach’s Left Fork, using dredged sand from Katama Bay and Herring Creek. Both water bodies had filled with sand after December and January’s storms.
Edgartown officials recently met with the state and federal government to survey the damage at South Beach and Norton Point. Though emergency aid is in limbo, work has already begun.
The state Department of Environmental Protection Monday granted Edgartown emergency authorization to dredge Katama Bay, clearing the way for a project intended to help restore the storm-battered South Beach.