A mound of sand 3 feet high in places that has covered at least a mile of Jersey Shore oceanfront sidewalk since Hurricane Sandy will finally be removed after state and local authorities have settled a dispute about who was responsible.
Pedestrians have not been able to walk along the sea wall in Monmouth Beach for more than a year and a half since the storm swept through and buried much of the area in sand.
The borough thought the state would take care of it because the sidewalk is along state road 36, but the state insisted sidewalks are the borough's responsibility.
The state long ago cleared the sand from the road.
Caryl Rossmer, who has lived across the road for 30 years, said the sand blasts windows of the oceanfront homes during storms.
"I have never seen this sand staying here, even in the other hurricanes," said Rossmer.
Mayor Sue Howard told NBC 4 New York on Tuesday that Monmouth Beach is now prepared to do the job, which will cost at least $10,000 and involves testing the sand for oil pollution from the roadway before it can be returned to the beach.
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She is hoping it can be done by July 4.
