At John’s Pass, where sand buildup poses danger, a dredging project is near

An infusion of $1.5 million from the state clears the way for a solution that has taken years.

Over the decades, strong currents have changed the contours of John’s Pass, creating a stretch of unwanted beach that balloons into a white semicircle near John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk.

The accumulated sand has blocked storm drains, disrupted businesses that require water to dock their boats and lured unsuspecting tourists into a lethal, fast-moving current, making life difficult at one of Pinellas County’s most historic and popular tourist destinations.

For years, residents, business owners and city officials tried to solve the issue, but they faced a bureaucratic tangle involving county government and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Then came a breakthrough, when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a state budget on June 2 that included $1.5 million for dredging the pass.