Home Progressive/Phased Design-Build Summer Haven Beach Restoration

Summer Haven Beach Restoration

After Hurricane Matthew devastated Old Highway A1A in St. Augustine, Florida, in October 2016, residents of Summer Haven watched their coastal road and beach access deteriorate further with each storm. In 2024, Superior Construction began rebuilding the 2,000-foot section of roadway with permanent hurricane protection infrastructure designed to withstand future hurricanes up to Category 5.

Project Highlights
  • Built 2,000 linear feet of epoxy-coated sheet pile wall extending 32 to 37 feet deep
  • Installed 5,800 tons of granite revetment rock for hurricane protection
  • Constructed elevated concrete roadway with advanced drainage exfiltration system
  • Maintained 100% access for homeowners throughout construction
  • Completed concrete paving in one week using slipform paver
Client
St. Johns County, Florida
Location
St. Augustine, Florida
Completion Date

July 2025

Industry
Concrete Paving
Delivery Methods
Progressive Design-Build

The Work

Superior and design partner DRMP used a progressive design-build approach to create a cost-effective coastal resilience solution aligned with FEMA and county funding requirements. The design called for epoxy-coated sheet pile driven 32 to 37 feet deep, secured with stainless steel anchors and protected by three-foot-diameter R1500 granite revetment rock on the oceanside to absorb storm surge and wave energy.

Because the deteriorated road was the only route to nearby homes, Superior first constructed a temporary limerock road parallel to the work zone. This allowed continuous homeowner access while crews installed the seawall and rebuilt the permanent roadway. 

Superior self-performed most of the work, including site preparation, concrete cap construction and revetment rock placement. Subcontractor ASAP Construction Group installed the sheet pile using specialized sheetpiler technology that reduced installation time and minimized vibration to nearby structures. Superior’s concrete paving team used a slipform paver to complete the elevated concrete pavement in one week.

Construction began in March 2024, with sheet pile driving starting in May. When Hurricanes Milton and Helene passed through the region later that year, completed sections with seawall and revetment rock remained intact while unprotected areas washed out. Crews remediated the damage by installing additional rock as needed.

Project Gallery

The Results

Superior completed the project in 2025 on schedule and within budget, delivering permanent hurricane protection to a stretch of coastline that had endured repeated storm damage. The new infrastructure protects both the roadway and the homes behind it. The elevated roadway sits three to four feet higher than the original alignment in some sections and is designed to withstand 100-year storm events. The advanced drainage exfiltration system prevents flooding, while the granite revetment and deep sheet pile wall provide protection from storm surge and wave action.

For the Summer Haven community, the project restored beach parking access and provided residents with reliable evacuation routes and protection for their homes after years of deteriorating conditions.

The project also gave St. Johns County valuable experience with progressive design-build delivery on a coastal resilience effort. The county had previously partnered with Superior on emergency A1A repairs north of Summer Haven, and satisfaction with that work led to this contract. County project managers have expressed appreciation for the outcome and the approach Superior used to maintain access throughout construction while delivering permanent infrastructure improvements.