A major dredging and beach-restoration project is now underway at Longboat Pass and the southern end of Coquina Beach.
The work began September 9, 2026, and is expected to continue through October. For boaters, waterfront-property owners, vacation-rental operators and anyone who regularly visits Coquina Beach, here is what the project involves—and what it does not guarantee.
Manatee County plans to dredge approximately 63,450 cubic yards of sand from the Longboat Pass navigation channel.
That sand will be placed along approximately 0.9 miles of Coquina Beach, extending from just south of 13th Street South in Bradenton Beach toward Longboat Pass.
The project serves two purposes:
The estimated project cost is approximately $1.92 million. FEMA is funding 75%, while the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Manatee County are each covering 12.5%.
Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of October, subject to weather, equipment and other project conditions.
Most of Coquina Beach is expected to remain open.
Temporary closures will move with the active construction zone. Equipment staging near Longboat Pass and portions of the southern beach will remain restricted while work is underway.
The Coquina Beach South Boat Ramp is expected to remain accessible.
Because dredging and sand placement are operating around the clock, nearby residents and visitors may notice equipment, lighting and construction noise, particularly near the active work zone.
Anyone visiting the beach should follow posted fencing, signs and pedestrian detours. Work locations and beach closures can change as construction progresses.
The official Coquina Beach project dashboard provides current construction updates, project maps and beach-access information.
Dredging is intended to restore depth within the Longboat Pass navigation channel, which is important for vessels moving between the Gulf of Mexico, Sarasota Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.
However, boaters should not interpret the project as a permanent guarantee of water depth or unrestricted passage.
Longboat Pass is a naturally changing coastal environment. Shoaling, tides, weather and storms can continue to affect navigation after dredging is completed.
Before purchasing a boating or waterfront property, buyers should independently verify:
A property being advertised as having “Gulf access” does not automatically mean every boat can comfortably or safely make the trip.
For property owners around Anna Maria Island, Cortez, Bradenton Beach and north Longboat Key, navigational access and shoreline condition are important parts of a property’s overall utility and marketability.
Beach restoration also supports recreational access and coastal protection. However, individual properties can still face substantially different flood, erosion, seawall, insurance and boating-access conditions.
Buyers should evaluate those conditions property by property rather than assuming that dredging or beach nourishment eliminates future coastal risks.
Vacation-rental owners should also monitor temporary beach-access changes and construction activity so they can give guests accurate information.
The work is being performed under state and federal permits containing protections for nesting sea turtles and shorebirds.
These measures include nest monitoring, marked buffer areas, lighting restrictions and coordination with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring.
Visitors should remain outside marked nesting areas and never cross active dredging pipelines or construction fencing.
The Longboat Pass project is a meaningful investment in both navigation and storm-damaged shoreline restoration.
For property owners, buyers and boaters, the key is to distinguish between an improvement to current conditions and a guarantee about future coastal or navigational conditions.
Project locations, closures and progress can change frequently. Visit the official Manatee County project dashboard for the latest information.
If you are considering buying, selling or evaluating waterfront property around Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key or the surrounding Gulf Coast, contact me to discuss the property-specific considerations that matter beyond the listing description.
John Acosta
Real Estate Advisor
Sarasota • Manatee • Tampa Bay