Authorities from Treasure Island and Pinellas County government are urging the public to avoid the multi-million-dollar dunes restoration initiative underway on Sunset Beach. This project was initiated in response to the erosion caused by Hurricane Idalia, which displaced the crucial dune-stabilizing vegetation into the Gulf of Mexico. Dunes play a vital role in safeguarding coastal properties from the impact of severe storms, acting as a barrier against surges and high winds.

The upcoming Phase 2 of the “Sunset Beach Emergency Dune Restoration” project is set to commence on Monday, involving the planting of native dune vegetation over a two-week period. Officials have expressed their intent to reopen the beaches by October 30th.

The statement was made on the Tampa beach website where it stated: “Treasure Island and Pinellas County officials are asking for the public’s help in protecting the major multi-million-dollar sand dune restoration on Sunset Beach by STAYING OFF the newly created dunes. Sunset Beach remains closed, but some people continue to defy the closure, making their way onto the beach to surf or walk. While doing so, they are walking over the newly created dunes and destroying them before the county has had a chance to finish the project.”

In late last month, Sunset Beach was temporarily closed to the public, and roughly 200 trucks were deployed to distribute an estimated $6 million worth of sand, equivalent to the volume of approximately 12 Olympic-size swimming pools, over several weeks.