Sarasota completes $12M Lido Beach project

Renourishment project complete

There are no more bulldozers or heavy machinery on Lido Beach as crews have wrapped up a month-long renourishment project on the eroded shoreline. FOX 13’s Heather Healy reports. 

LIDO KEY, Fla. - The Lido Beach renourishment project wrapped up a massive shoreline restoration along Lido Key in Sarasota, ahead of a public celebration Tuesday afternoon. 

The $12 million project repaired critical coastal areas battered by multiple major hurricanes over recent years. 

Sarasota beach restoration project

What we know:

The Lido Beach renourishment project completely restored 1.2 miles of heavily eroded shoreline along Lido Key. 

The operation placed 300,000 cubic yards of sand onto the beach through a joint partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the city of Sarasota. Federal funding covered the entire $12 million cost of the infrastructure development. 

The main objective of the massive project is to strengthen the coast against rising sea levels and future storms, while providing critical protection during shorebird and sea turtle nesting season. 

Before and after photos of Lido Beach renourishment. 

Battered Florida coastlines

The backstory:

The last major renourishment project on Lido Beach took place five years ago, in 2021. Recent impacts from a series of hurricanes, including Ian, Helene, and Milton, caused severe erosion that stripped up to 100 feet of sand away from certain parts of the beach. 

"We saw as you know probably saw up to seven feet of storm surge come in and it moved so much sand from the beach front as well, but then brought it over roads and places that it wasn’t ever intended to be this is an opportunity to restore that and bring it back," said Sage Kamiya, an engineer for the City of Sarasota. 

Public ribbon cutting ceremony

What you can do:

The community can attend a public ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. on Tuesday to celebrate the official completion of the work. 

The event takes place at the Lido Beach Pavilion, located at 400 Benjamin Franklin Drive, Sarasota, FL, 34236. 

Guests will hear scheduled presentations from the mayor, city leaders, and representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Future Sarasota environmental projects

What we don't know:

Officials have not announced the exact start dates for the next phase of coastal defenses. While the sand replenishment is done, teams are waiting until this fall to begin constructing vegetated dunes and upgrading beach front walkovers.