Florida Construction News staff writer
A major coastal protection project to restore and strengthen Lido Beach is scheduled to begin in late 2025, city officials announced.
The City of Sarasota, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Sarasota County, will carry out the beach renourishment effort, which includes depositing up to 300,000 cubic yards of sand along 1.2 miles of eroded shoreline and constructing a new vegetative dune system to enhance resilience.
The $12 million project, funded by the federal government, comes in response to severe shoreline degradation caused by repeated hurricane impacts. Sand for the project will be dredged locally from New Pass.
“The renourishment of Lido Beach will not only improve the area for residents and visitors but also increase the resiliency of our coastal community,” Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert said in a statement. “We thank our local, state, and federal partners for working alongside us in fortifying Lido Beach against sea level rise, tropical weather, and future climate impacts.”
Beach renourishment is expected to wrap up by early 2026. Construction of a vegetative dune system south of the Lido Beach Pavilion is anticipated to begin later that year, with completion expected by spring 2027.
Lido Beach will remain open throughout the project, though some sections may be temporarily closed during active construction. Signage will alert the public to any restricted areas.
Officials say minimizing environmental impacts and disruption to beachgoers is a top priority. The timing of the work has been planned outside of sea turtle and shorebird nesting seasons, which end Oct. 31. The project has also been developed in coordination with Mote Marine Laboratory and the Sarasota Audubon Society.
“As Sarasota continues to face the growing impacts of severe weather and sea level rise, this project exemplifies a comprehensive and forward-looking approach to shoreline resilience,” said City Engineer Nikesh Patel. “With strong federal investment and robust community engagement, the City of Sarasota is proud to lead this critical effort to protect and preserve one of our region’s most treasured natural assets for generations to come.”
This will be the second renourishment of Lido Beach under a long-term agreement between the city and the Army Corps of Engineers. The first took place in 2021.
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