St. Johns County Secures $1.48 Million for Coastal Resiliency and Boating Access Projects

St. Johns County’s waterways serve different purposes for different people: a route to the Atlantic for boaters launching at Vilano, a working edge of the coast at Summer Haven, and a shared public resource shaped by tides, erosion and changing conditions.

A new $1.483 million investment from the St. Augustine Port, Waterway, and Beach District will support work at both locations, pairing a practical repair project with a broader effort to protect vulnerable coastal infrastructure.

The District has awarded $500,000 for repairs at the Vilano Boat Ramp, a heavily used deep-water launch facility with access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. An engineering assessment completed in June identified work needed to preserve the ramp’s function and improve its structural stability.

The planned repairs will be completed in phases. They include pressure grouting of concrete slabs to stabilize the ramp, installation of sheet piles to limit erosion and add support, and targeted repairs to the existing seawall. County officials expect the work to extend the facility’s useful life by about 10 years.

Engineering, permitting and construction are anticipated to begin this fall, with completion expected in summer 2027.

The larger portion of the funding, $983,000, is directed to the Summer Haven River Dredge and Dune Project. That work is intended to strengthen protection along the Summer Haven River through excavation and the construction of a dune or berm using beach-compatible sand. The planned area extends from the northern revetment to the Old A1A access.

The project continues an ongoing relationship between St. Johns County and the Port, Waterway, and Beach District, which have previously partnered on dredging and excavation activities in the Summer Haven River. The newest award recognizes that protecting the coast often requires attention both to what happens in the water and to the land immediately beside it.

Together, the two projects reflect a practical reality of life in a coastal county: public access and coastal resilience are closely linked. Maintaining a boat ramp means preserving a point of entry to the region’s waters. Stabilizing a shoreline and improving a river channel helps safeguard infrastructure and natural resources that coastal communities rely upon every day.

The grants were secured through coordination among the County’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Parks and Recreation, and Coastal Management divisions. For residents and visitors, the results will be most visible at the water’s edge—where a safer launch ramp and a better-protected stretch of shoreline can help keep two important county assets usable in the years ahead.