COURT HOUSE – The Middle Thorofore Bridge in Lower Township, connecting Lower Township’s Diamond Beach to Cape May, has been reopened to vehicular, pedestrian, and bike traffic effective 2 a.m. Aug. 21.

The bridge was closed on Aug. 18 due to a total failure of the drive shaft motor that is used to open the bridge on demand. Since then, Bridge Commission staff and County officials were able to source a new drive-shaft motor, and County and Bridge Commission staff worked tirelessly from morning to night to complete extensive repairs to the bridge’s drive-shaft-motor system deeming it fully operational at the conclusion of their work. Both the Cape May County Bridge Commission and County of Cape May took an all-hands-on deck approach to this urgent need and the structural integrity of the bridge was never in question.

“On behalf of the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners, I want to extend my heartfelt and sincere thanks to our County public works, bridge commission staff, and consultant electrical engineers for their efforts to source a new motor and for working long hours to repair the system that resulted in the reopening of the Middle Thorofore Bridge. Under the leadership of our County Administrator and Bridge Commission Director Kevin Lare, we took a best-case multi-week closure scenario and made a miracle happen. With that said, the dedication and commitment of our county team to restore the bridge to full functionality is truly commendable,” said Commissioner Director/Liaison to the Bridge Commission, Leonard Desiderio.

All traffic can now resume normal use of the Middle Thorofore Bridge without any restrictions. We greatly appreciate the patience and understanding of the public during this temporary closure and are pleased to announce that the bridge is back in service.