Beach Access No. 9 at
By DIANTÉ MARIGNY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.
A $1.6 million improvement project is planned for one of South Padre Island’s public beach accesses, with new restrooms, an accessible dune walkover and parking upgrades intended to make the shoreline easier to reach for residents and visitors.
The project will take place at Beach Access No. 9, also known as Bluewater Circle, along Gulf Boulevard between East Dolphin and East Kingfish streets.
According to records filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the project involves approximately 12,500 square feet of improvements, including a pedestrian walkover, permanent restrooms, a drinking fountain and upgrades to the parking area.
The Texas General Land Office lists additional accessibility features, including ADA-compliant sidewalks, accessible parking and rinse stations.
The improvements are intended to provide more convenient beach access for people with disabilities while upgrading facilities available to the general public.
The existing Bluewater Circle access already provides a route to the beach, including a mobility mat designed to help visitors navigate the sand. The planned improvements would expand the site’s permanent amenities.
State records list an estimated construction cost of $1.6 million, while the General Land Office identifies an overall project budget of $1.8 million.
The project is supported through the Texas General Land Office’s Coastal Management Program, which funds coastal access and improvement initiatives.
Construction registration documents identify Oct. 26, 2026, as the anticipated start date and Oct. 26, 2027, as the projected completion date.
However, city bidding documents list Nov. 4 as the earliest possible contract award date, indicating that the construction schedule remains subject to change.
The planned work also includes landscaping, irrigation and dune mitigation, according to construction bid documents.
The improvements are part of a broader effort to expand accessible beach facilities on South Padre Island.
The General Land Office also lists a separate $667,000 engineering initiative involving proposed accessibility improvements at Gulf Circle, Surf Circle, Treasure Island Circle and Poinsettia Circle beach accesses.
That initiative is intended to develop designs and secure permits for future improvements at those locations.
For Bluewater Circle, the final construction schedule and any temporary access restrictions have not yet been announced.