Asbury Park’s boardwalk is set to get a major makeover this year as part of a state effort to renovate more than a dozen Jersey Shore boardwalks destroyed by storms more than a decade ago.
Gov. Phil Murphy joined state and local officials on Friday to tout the state’s Boardwalk Preservation Fund, funded with federal COVID-19 relief money. Murphy said he expects this summer to be one of New Jersey’s most successful ever, with hundreds of thousands of people flocking to the beaches.
“We will rebuild crumbling trail infrastructure, remove blight along the waterfront, make investments to make the trail more accessible and create new opportunities for all families to make memories for generations to come, whether in Asbury Park or beyond,” he said.
Boardwalk upgrades are underway in 18 towns stretching from Cape May to Long Branch, state officials announced Friday. In Asbury Park, about 80 percent of the boardwalk has already been replaced or reinforced. The $20 million awarded to coastal towns will also cover two new restrooms on the boardwalk and repairs to buildings behind Convention Hall and the Paramount Theatre, Murphy said.
It was announced last year that $100 million in American Rescue Plan funding would be dedicated to the Boardwalk Preservation Fund.
More than 30 municipalities applied for more than $360 million in funding last year, according to Murphy’s office.
Projects the state will fund in coastal towns include replacing old and crumbling boardwalks with more durable reinforcements, installing ramps and handrails to ensure boardwalks are ADA compliant, and widening existing boardwalks.
State officials prioritized projects in financially struggling coastal towns and to improve existing structures, Governor Murphy’s office said. Under federal law, the ARP funds must be disbursed by the end of 2024, and grant recipients must spend them by the end of 2026.
“These boardwalks need to stand the test of time. We need to support all the businesses along the boardwalks and this will go a long way to protecting the Jersey Shore,” said Sen. Michael Testa (R-Cape May).
Towns receiving funding for trail repairs and renovations:
Asbury Park: $20,000,000
Atlantic City: $20,000,000
Belmar Borough: $1,504,184
Berkeley Township: $448,125
Bradley Beach: $4,275,00
Brigantine: $1,185,838
Cape May City: $6,722.55
Carteret: $2,417,339
Keyport: $800,694
Long Branch: $3,249,000
North Wildwood: $10,259,827
Ocean City: $4,859,175
Sea Isle City: $1,997,000
Seaside Heights: $4,795,362
Toms River: $1,018,441
Ventner: $7,110,689
Wildwood City: $8,269,013
Wildwood Crest Borough: $1,087,425
