The federal beach renourishment project along Horry County’s coastline is expected to wrap up in a matter of weeks.

“Right now, we are in the last third of the project. We are nearing completion. We have probably well over 90 to 95% completed,” explained Christy DiFelice, project manager for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, the contractor hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The emergency beach renourishment project started in North Myrtle Beach in December. It also included work in Myrtle Beach earlier this summer before crews turned their attention to the Garden City and Surfside Beach areas.

The primary purpose is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage.

Over the past week, crews have focused on the Surfside portion of the project, covering Surfside Beach and the oceanfront campgrounds, working toward Myrtle Beach State Park.

Beginning Tuesday, July 28, crews will temporarily move into Georgetown County for about two days. Afterward, work will resume in the campground area and continue north toward the southern end of Myrtle Beach State Park.

Once that section is complete, the dredge will return to Garden City to place sand south of the Garden City Pier. Construction will then continue south before the project is expected to wrap up near the Georgetown County line in late August.

As construction equipment moves along the coastline, portions of the beach and some beach access points within active work zones will be temporarily closed for safety.

“With a high, dense population, we need to make sure that we have room to keep pumping and adding pipe to the shore so we can move faster and keep progressing forward. So, there are some access closures. We do try to open those up as quickly as possible behind us,” DiFelice said.

In open areas where pipes remain on the beach, access ramps are available about every 300 feet to provide safe access to the shoreline.

If you’re planning a trip to the beach in the Surfside Beach or Garden City areas within the next month, it’s recommended you check the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construction tracker for beach access closures.

Follow Horry County Government on social media for important project updates.