Improvements Planned for Point Pleasant Canal Safety Fencing, Railings

The Point Pleasant Canal (Photo: Shorebeat)

The federal government will fund safety improvements at the Point Pleasant Canal following a series of appeals from U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, two years after $3.2 million of work was completed to replace deteriorating bulkheads at the mouth of the water.

After those initial repairs were completed, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continued safety inspections through last year, with emergency repairs having been made immediately as issued were identified. A work plan was then developed thanks to the USACE decision to allocate $3 million to fund more extensive improvements.

The new plan will include repairing or replacing old, inadequate safety fencing along the entire perimeter of the Point Pleasant Canal, which is located totally within the borders of Point Pleasant Borough. The improvements will be performed on the exterior of the canal to prevent scenarios where those walking or fishing along the banks of the waterway could fall into the notoriously-strong currents. The canal, which connects Barnegat Bay with the Manasquan River, represents the northern terminus of the Intracoastal Waterway.

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“We have been trying to get the Army Corps to repair this fence-line for years now in its entirety, and not just in a few pieces like they’ve done over the years,” said Point Pleasant Borough Mayor Robert Sabosik. If it wasn’t for Congressman Smith working with us on this project, the federal funding to get this done probably wouldn’t have happened. This fence-line isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about the safety of our residents who fish and enjoy the scenic views the canal offers.”

Deteriorating bulkheading along the Point Pleasant Canal’s north entrance, Dec. 2023. (Photo: USACE Philadelphia District)

The Point Pleasant Canal (Photo: Shorebeat)

The fencing work comes as the Army Corps has just completed significant repairs to the entrance to the canal from the Manasquan River, making the canal walls more resilient and up to current design standards. In 2022, Smith secured the $3.2 million in federal funding for that project, which repaired portions of the bulkhead that had suffered the most significant damage over the years.

“I am grateful to our partners at the Army Corps of Engineers—our country’s master builders,” Smith said in a statement issued by his office. “Their work is second to none, and the Philadelphia District is always eager to help us help constituents.”

The canal opened to navigation in 1926 in its current location after an alternative plan to connect several lakes close to the ocean in Bay Head and Point Pleasant Beach – similar to the engineering behind South Florida’s portion of ICW – fell out of favor. The unique design led to an expansion of salt water in northern Barnegat Bay, transforming the estuary’s environment into its current configuration.