A portion of the Ventnor boardwalk between Derby and Cornwall avenues will be closed to pedestrian and bicycle traffic 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, according to a post on the city’s social media page.
Commissioner of Public Works Lance Landgraf said a structural member under the boardwalk has failed and will be temporarily repaired on an emergent basis.
The boardwalk in that area is slated to be replaced with a $7.1 million grant from Gov. Phil Murphy’s $100 million Boardwalk Preservation Fund made possible through the American Rescue Plan.
The boardwalk was built in 1962 and has been deteriorating over time and needs to be replaced. The total cost of replacing the boardwalk is about $26 million, officials said. The grant will pay to replace the most deteriorated sections first, and the city will apply for additional grants to cover the remaining sections.
Landgraf said one of the braces underneath the decking had split and the boardwalk closed to vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic for safety reasons.
“It will be closed temporarily so our contractor can install a support beam and steel plates under the boardwalk,” he said. “Our engineer reviewed it and approved a temporary fix so we can get the boardwalk open for Labor Day weekend.”
Landgraf said a more extensive repair will be necessary in the near future, which will close that section of boardwalk for a few days.
The cost to totally replace Ventnor's boardwalk is estimated to be $26 million. Ventnor plans to apply for other state and federal grants to complete the reconstruction project.
Ventnor's project includes total demolition of sections of the existing boardwalk and foundation pile and installation of new treated timber piles spaced at 12 feet, slightly closer than the existing spacing of 14 feet, to provide additional strength and a longer lasting product. ADA-compliant ramps will be installed at locations where needed. The grant requires that the boardwalk reconstruction be completed by the end of 2026.
