Coquina Beach is almost whole again. Manatee County officials say dredging and sand discharge finished last week, and crews are now removing the pipeline and tilling the new sand into place. That final phase should wrap up this week, restoring nearly a mile of shoreline damaged by Hurricane Idalia.
The project moved 63,450 cubic yards of sand at a cost of about $2 million. FEMA covers 75 percent, with Florida DEP and Manatee County splitting the remaining quarter. That’s a significant lift for a beach that serves as one of the Suncoast’s most popular recreation spots, drawing locals, snowbirds, and tourists year-round.
Throughout the work, the rest of Coquina Beach stayed open. Closures shifted as crews moved along the shoreline, so visitors could still enjoy most of the beach. Once tilling finishes, the new sand should settle into a wider, flatter shoreline heading into the fall and winter season.
Have you been out to Coquina since the renourishment started? Tell us what you think of the new look.
