Town crews began installing temporary erosion protection systems at Second Beach this week in an effort to shield the popular destination’s dunes and pathways from winter storm damage.
The Department of Public Works is placing the barriers at the mouth of each pathway along Sachuest Point Road, according to a news release from the town. The systems are designed to dissipate energy from heavy wave action during storm surge events.
Town Engineer John Mello said the beach takes a beating every winter.
“Every spring, we have to dig out all the paths because they get filled with sand,” Mello said. “The wave action damages our paths and the dunes get eroded. I don’t think most people realize how much energy the waves bring to the area.”
The barriers, known in the industry as temporary cofferdams, are essentially giant bags made of high-strength woven polypropylene geotextile fabric and filled with sand. When complete, each stands four feet by four feet and about five feet high.
The town plans to test several configurations, including straight walls, V-shaped designs and staggered patterns, to determine which works best.
Paths 1, 4 and 8, as well as the path leading to the Second Beach Family Campground, will remain open throughout the off-season. The barriers will be removed in April, well before the summer beach season begins.
The erosion systems will work alongside snow fencing installed earlier in the off-season at the recommendation of the Beach Commission to help keep sand on the beach.
Operations and Facility Manager Will Cronin, who oversees Second and Third beaches, said protecting the town’s shoreline is a priority.
“Our beaches are one of our most valuable assets,” Cronin said. “They’re part of the fabric of Middletown and anything we can do to make sure they’re enjoyed by everyone is important.”
Town staff considered installing similar systems at nearby Third Beach but determined it wasn’t necessary at this time.
The project follows a March 2025 report from Coastal Systems Research & Planning that recommended steps to preserve Second Beach, including keeping sand in place and limiting dune cuts during the off-season. That study was commissioned after a particularly rough winter in 2023 and spring 2024 when heavy wave action stripped significant amounts of sand from the beach.
Beachgoers are asked not to climb or walk on the temporary barriers, as that could damage them and reduce their effectiveness.