Southport Board of Aldermen approves next phase of shoreline stabilization

SOUTHPORT (WWAY) — The Southport Board of Aldermen approved the next phase of the town’s shoreline stabilization project on Wednesday.

In recent years, stretches of the city’s shoreline have eroded due to a combination of weather, high tides, and boat traffic.

In total, around four-thousand feet of shoreline are in danger of continued erosion.

One section along Bay Street has had portions of the sidewalk removed so rocks could be placed to limit erosion.

Bob Jarvis is an engineer hired by Southport to assist with the project.

He emphasized that the project’s next step will help the city know just what is to be done.

“What we’d be able to determine after this phase would be approximate costs, scope of design, impacts to property owners potentially and, again, that would get them on their way,” he explained.

While Southport resident Gordon Lucas doesn’t live directly on the water, he’s glad the town is doing, even if it may be a few years too late.

“Well, they probably, in hindsight, they probably should have started it earlier,” he continued. “But uh, at least they’re working on it now and hopefully they’ll get it done, although it’s a big project. Hopefully they’ll get it done sooner rather than later.”

Jarvis added that the design phase of the project will take between five and six months.