As the 11th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy approaches, work is underway in a Monmouth County bayside community to prevent the type of destruction seen in 2012.

It's been seven months since the groundbreaking of a federal flood protection program in Union Beach - and in that time, the around-the-clock operation pumped tons of sand onto the beach, sculpting the 17-foot-high dune. The $50 million Army Corps project will eventually add floodgates and pumping stations to help eliminate nuisance tidal flooding around the creeks.

"I know a lot of people are saying, ‘Oh we don't have the view anymore,’ but I'd rather be protected in a storm if another storm were to come. To me, I think it's great what they're doing,” says Liz Stout, of Union Beach.

Sand pumping should wrap up by the end of next month, followed by dune grass planting and the construction of crossover walkways. The mayor says this portion of the project should be fully completed by February.