Navigational Dredging Project: NJDOT-OMR Wildwood Complex 2023/2024

Speakers:

Jo Wall - Principal Engineer at NJDOT

James Heeren, PE, ENV SP - Associate Vice President at Dewberry

In 2012, Super Storm Sandy heavily damaged the Wildwood Channel complex and its seven maritime channels.  The New Jersey Department of Transportation was responsible for restoring them to their safe and navigable depth to facilitate maritime transport throughout the area. Commercial fisheries, clammers, marina owners, small rental businesses, private homeowners, and local townships all benefit from improved channel access, which supports the region’s shorefront reputation and economy.  The objective of Wildwood project was to maintain seven channels within Wildwood, North Wildwood, and West Wildwood (the Wildwood Complex). Successful dredging improves and maintains the resilience of the channels so they can operate under current conditions and withstand projected conditions towards a more resilient future.

The project faced several challenges, including coordinating dredging efforts across multiple townships and meeting tight deadlines to avoid disrupting the critical tourist season. As a result, three different sites were used to complete this $11.6 million project. Nearly 140 “geobags” gravel were used to dewater the dredged material, allowing for efficient and timely removal. The project team completed the hydraulic dredging and geotube placement of approximately 110,000 cubic yards (CY) of clean sediment from approximately 22,000 linear feet of the Wildwood Complex. As a result, the navigability of the channels was much improved and the beneficial use of the dredged material was maximized.

Special notes of interest include changing site conditions, effective management of unanticipated saturated sediments, utility conflicts, successful repair of leaking geotubes, successful containment of the spill of hydraulic fluid, noise mitigation, and historic preservation.

THIS EVENT IS CURRENTLY PENDING REVIEW FOR 1 PDH CREDIT IN NY AND NJ.

DATE: Thursday, March 5, 2026

TIME: Registration & Networking from 5:30 - 6:30 pm; Dinner with presentation to begin at 6:30 pm

LOCATION: DoubleTree by Hilton Fairfield Hotel & Suites

Fairfield 3&4 Ballrooms
690 Route 46 East
Fairfield, NJ 07004

COST:$95 for ASCE members / $115 for Non-members / $70 Government Employees / $40 for students with ID

RSVP:

Make checks payable to "ASCE North Jersey Branch" and bring to the event or mail in advance to:

Rob Rogoff - ASCE NJB Treasurer

HNTB

9 Entin Road, Suite 202

Parsippany, NJ 07054