Dear Friends,
Representatives of Cape May County were in town on Monday to provide information on a redecking project on the 34th Street Bridge that will reduce traffic to one lane for the next two off-seasons. The bridge is the county’s most heavily traveled, and there’s no sugar-coating it – the county project will cause potential delays for anybody who uses Roosevelt Boulevard to get in and out of town between October and May. The full presentation is available here.
Even though it may take longer for people to get where they’re going, the city is in full support of this and all infrastructure improvements. This Cape May County project is designed not only to make travel smoother but to fix a deteriorated roadway that could become dangerous if not addressed. The short-term sacrifices will be well worth the long-term improvements.
The county’s plan calls for an alternating traffic pattern using a single lane on the bridge roughly from Columbus Day through the first weekend in May (with some additional delays throughout May and early June). Both lanes of traffic will reopen for the summer.
Half the bridge closest to Ocean City will be completed in 2016-17. The other half will be finished in 2017-18. I urge all business owners to ask truck drivers to plan for alternative routes during this construction project.
The county also made a presentation on Monday about a plan to replace the bridge on West 17th Street. Single-lane access to all traffic and utility service will be maintained throughout all parts of this project, which will start in October and be complete by Memorial Day in 2017. If you have questions, you can call the Cape May County Engineers Office at 609-465-1035 or visit the county’s reports and studies .
We’re heading into the heart of summer, and, as always, I urge you to shop and dine local. But remember, if you’re traveling by bicycle, please don’t ride on the sidewalks, particularly in the downtown area. And I ask all drivers to respect crosswalk laws, and all pedestrians to make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
Ocean City had a spectacular Night in Venice last weekend, and we’re already planning for a bigger and better event next year. I would like to thank everyone involved for all of their hard work on the parade and fireworks, and thank our special guests for participating. I invite you all to stop by the Ocean City Music Pier tomorrow (July 23) for the seventh annual Tribute to the Philippines. The event celebrates Filipino culture and a bond between our two nations.
Warm regards,
Jay A. Gillian
Mayor
