Wildwood Boardwalk Phase II Reconstruction Complete

WILDWOOD — Phase II of new construction is complete and encompasses the section of the Boardwalk from Cedar Avenue to Oak Avenue.
Mayor Gary DeMarzo, in a release, announced the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony of Phase II Boardwalk Reconstruction is scheduled for Friday, April 9, at 3 p.m. Phase II encompasses one block from Oak to Cedar Avenue.
Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1st) plans to attend as guest of honor. Invitations will be extended to Gov. Chris Christie, members of the Legislature, UEZ state representatives, USDA representatives and members of the media.
The Wildwood Boardwalk, originally built in the late 1800’s on what is now Atlantic Avenue, was originally modeled after the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.
The Boardwalk was designed as a way to keep the sand off tourists’ feet. In the early 1900’s, the Wildwood beach began to expand eastward and the Boardwalk was periodically reconstructed and relocated to its present location. The Wildwood Boardwalk spans the entire length of the city from Cresse Avenue to 26th Avenue.
The most recent large-scale reconstruction occurred in 1999 when the section of Boardwalk between Cresse Avenue and Rio Grande Avenue was completely rebuilt.
Throughout the years, natural disasters, fires and constant weathering have made it necessary to systematically repair sections of the boardwalk. The great flood of 1962 caused the greatest damage to a majority of the Boardwalk’s length. Despite these factors, much of the structure that remains in service today dates back 85 years or more to its original construction. From its origins to present day, countless repairs have been made, from small patches and shims to rebuilding several blocks of the Boardwalk.
Phase I of reconstruction encompassed over 1,000 linear feet of the boardwalk at Cedar Avenue. The project also encompassed the Schellenger Avenue tunnel phase and created a new underpass.
After years of planning, the boardwalk and adjoining tunnel were built with the public’s safety in mind. Built to highway specifications, the new area of the Boardwalk is capable of supporting the weight of the Fire Department’s most sophisticated equipment.
The mayor thanked the Wildwood Police, Fire, Public Works, Water and Sewer departments, along with all the surrounding businesses for hard work and patience over the past two years.
This first phase of this project cost approximately four million dollars and Phase II costs an additional two million dollars.
The project was paid for exclusively by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, and New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority funding. Not one penny of municipal tax dollars was used on this project. For years, the boardwalk has been at the center of Wildwood’s economy, ensuring a stable place of business to the members in our business community.
The above described project is consistent with the UEZ Act, with the entire Wildwood Boardwalk located in the Wildwoods Urban Enterprise Zone. This project is consistent with the City of Wildwood’s Five Year Zone Development Plan. The city will be returning to the UEZ for additional funds in the future for further replacement of the boardwalk.