Dredging of Grand Canal may cause disruptions

The first phase of dredging of the Grand Canal, the waterway between Newport Harbor’s Balboa Island and Little Balboa Island, began earlier this month.

The first portion involves dredging between South Bay Front and Park Avenue.

City officials said residents and visitors “should be mindful of the heavy equipment, construction materials and the work taking place in the area, which may require restricting pedestrian access to the boardwalk.”

Employees with Associated Pacific Constructors measure the depth while working on the Grand Canal between Balboa Island and Little Balboa Island on Thursday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Scott SmeltzerDaily Pilot)

Boats will be restricted from portions of the canal during the dredging.

Work, which is expected to be completed by January, will not be performed during the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, which ends Sunday, or on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

People with questions or concerns can contact Project Inspector Marcus Puglisi at (949) 644-3331 or via email at mpuglisi@newportbeachca.gov. They can also contact the project manager, Peter Tauscher, at (949) 644-3316 or ptauscher@newportbeachca.gov.

An excavator’s bucket filled with soil is removed from the Grand Canal between Balboa Island and Little Balboa Island on Thursday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Scott SmeltzerDaily Pilot)

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint