When Seattle looked to rebuild its 100-year-old Elliott Bay seawall in the downtown, planners knew it had to be stronger and better, but it didn’t necessarily have to be taller.

For nearly a century, oceanside communities, particularly those along the Atlantic, have used beach nourishment to safeguard buildings and infrastructure from the erosive forces of waves and tidal action.

Flooding from rising sea levels is nothing new to South Carolina’s largest city. In the 1830s, the mayor offered a $100 gold medal to anyone who could come up with a solution. No one ever did.

Maintaining Route 12, the main highway serving the barrier island of Hatteras Island, N.C., is a near-constant battle against the elements. Now, instead of continuing the battle, the state has decided to move the road.