Tue February 27, 2024 – Northeast Edition
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration announced Feb. 23 that 18 municipalities along the state’s Atlantic shore have been awarded a total of $100 million in grants to help in addressing the most critical and necessary capital needs of their iconic boardwalks.
Administered by the state’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the funding also aims to help Jersey shore communities remain vibrant tourism destinations in the long term by investing in modern building materials that increase storm resiliency and ensure longer lasting infrastructure.
“So many of us have created memories with family and friends at the boardwalks of the Jersey shore,” Murphy said in a news release. “Our boardwalks have long been a prized destination and we want to keep them that way by helping shore communities repair and maintain these wooden main streets. We look forward to all the vital projects that will result from our Boardwalk Preservation Fund investments. The grant awards announced today are a meaningful step in preserving the health and dynamism of these special places.”
The Boardwalk Preservation Fund is made possible through federal funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, which have been dedicated by Murphy and the New Jersey Legislature to an array of economic recovery and revitalization projects across the state.
Coastal counties and municipalities with existing boardwalks that sought funding for boardwalk construction, repair and maintenance were eligible to apply. Those applications were due by the end of October 2023.
Once received, they were scored on the clarity and detail of the project description, objectives for the funding, breakdown of phases and timelines for completing all work in compliance with ARP deadlines, demonstrated ability to meet project deadlines, and identification of other federal, state or local funds to match grant dollars.
DCA noted that eligible projects had to meet at least one of the following criteria: boardwalk construction that adds new components, structural maintenance, reconstruction, or repair of ancillary or appurtenant structures.
Examples of such projects include:
- Replacement of old and crumbling decking along the boardwalk with resilient, longer lasting materials.
- Replacement of deteriorating pilings and boardwalk infrastructure.
- Improving access and safety by building Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant ramps and railings.
- Expanding an existing section of the boardwalk.
- Providing grant funds to businesses that need to complete upgrades to align with the proposed boardwalk construction.
Upgrades Often Too Costly for Many Towns
“We recognize that boardwalks are the economic driver for many shore towns and cities,” explained Jacquelyn A. Suárez, acting commissioner of the DCA. “They are also incredibly expensive for local governments to maintain, repair and strengthen. To support this significant state asset, the Murphy Administration created the Boardwalk Preservation Fund to ease the financial burden on local governments when improving their boardwalks. We are confident these grant awards will help our boardwalks thrive and continue to inspire and delight visitors for years to come.”
To ensure that the fund addresses the most pressing boardwalk needs along the Jersey shore, monies were prioritized to those coastal towns experiencing financial distress by ranking projects in Municipal Distress Measure order.
Following are the towns and cities that received portions of the state’s boardwalk preservation grant, along with the funds they were awarded:
- Asbury Park, $20 million.
- Atlantic City, $20 million.
- Belmar Borough, $1.5 million.
- Berkeley Township, $488,125.
- Bradley Beach, $4.275 million.
- Brigantine, $1.19 million.
- Cape May City, $6.7 million.
- Carteret Borough, $2.4 million.
- Keyport Borough, $800,694.
- Long Branch, $3.25 million.
- North Wildwood, $10.26 million.
- Ocean City, $4.86 million.
- Sea Isle City, $1.997 million.
- Seaside Heights, $4.795 million.
- Toms River, $1.02 million.
- Ventnor, $7.1 million.
- Wildwood City, $8.27 million.
- Wildwood Crest Borough, $1.08 million.
DCA noted that all grants funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024, as well as expended by their recipients by the end of December 2026.
Department Tackles Range of State Needs
New Jersey DCA’s Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation promotes the long-term resilience of the state’s communities by supporting initiatives to fortify housing, businesses, and infrastructure against severe weather events and flooding damage. The division also is the grant manager for the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (SFRF) and the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, allocated to New Jersey through the American Rescue Plan Act.
In addition to disaster recovery and mitigation, DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, historic preservation and information privacy.
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