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Reconstruction work continues on the boardwalk in downtown Washington by the waterfront. 

Of the entire length of the boardwalk – an estimated 1,980 ft. – a second phase of reconstruction will cover 475 ft. with new marine slats and should be completed before the start of boating season, Kristi Roberson, City of Washington’s Department of Parks and Recreation director wrote in an email to the Daily News. A third and final phase will replace the remaining 505 ft. at a later date. 

Roberson wrote the City does “continual maintenance on boards and nails;” however, sections of the boardwalk have been replaced since it was first constructed 20 years ago. Major reconstruction efforts began in April 2021 with the first phase. 

The first phase covered 1,000 ft. on the east end from Moss Landing development and a former Builders FirstSource building. The first phase saw the replacement of the former boardwalk with a new one that is ten inches wider. 

It needed to be replaced due to its age and safety concerns, City Manager Jonathan Russell said in 2021. 

The cost to complete phase two comes with a $601,500 price tag. Of the total amount, $350,000 of it comes from grant money through The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management. 

Last July, the division awarded a total $1.14 million in grant money to five counties and 14 municipalities on or near the coast. Part of the grant money went to Beaufort County, City of Washington, Town of Aurora and Town of Belhaven.