How Much Will Connecticut Pay to Replace Sand At Hammonasset State Park?

As New England starts to experience the chill of Fall and the possibility of a very cold and snow Winter, I'm all about dreaming of Summer 2017. Toes in the sand, baby.

I hate the cold. Once Fall begins, all I can think about is the first chance to hit the beach. One of Connecticut's best is Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison. It's the state's largest shoreline park, with over two miles of beach as well as a boardwalk. No wonder we'd want to do some major upkeep.

In a story from nhregister.com, Connecticut is spending big bucks to replace the sand at Hammonasset State Park. $10,000,000 to be exact. It turns out that a major portion of the beach has been eroding enough that over time, it could cease to exist. Not good, considering it is the most visited state park in Connecticut.

DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain told the New Haven Register:

We want to ensure it can continue to be a beach. If this beach were out in the middle of nowhere, nature would take it’s course

The project involves about 300,000 cubic yards of sand being taken from the bottom of the Housatonic River. The dredging project will deepen the lower end of the Housatonic River, and the sand will be taken by barge to Hammonasset. It's all being paid for with state bond funds, and will be overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

If you frequent the beach, don't get too excited yet. The project isn't expected to start until Fall of 2017, and will probably last until March of 2018, but at least we know that one of our tourist attractions will still be around.