City and business leaders are rallying behind Bay Avenue businesses — the victims of a seemingly endless road construction project.
A new campaign encourages people to patronize the businesses between Ninth and 18th streets on Bay Avenue, including:
- Island Beach Gear (Ninth Street and Bay Avenue)
- Bongo Café and Grille (1050 Bay Avenue)
- Mallon’s Sticky Buns (1340 Bay Avenue)
- Berger Realty (1330 Bay Avenue)
- Mario’s Pizzeria (1510 Bay Avenue)
“Don’t cheat on your favorite place, but visit these businesses,” Councilman Keith Hartzell said at Thursday’s City Council meeting, where the frustrations and challenges of these businesses were a topic of discussion. Access to various parts of Bay Avenue has been blocked for much of the winter and spring.
A $3.3 million Cape May County project to improve drainage and repave Bay Avenue between Sixth and 18th streets (read more) began in February and was originally scheduled to be complete before the summer.
But the project was delayed by utility work as New Jersey American Water Company (NJAWC) replaced water mains in advance of the repaving project.
Work will end in the middle of June and resume in the fall.
In the meantime, electronic signs on Ninth Street remind motorists that the businesses are open and direct traffic to use Simpson Avenue for access. Road signs have recently been placed on Bay Avenue at 15th Street listing open businesses.
Bay Avenue is open to traffic on weekends when crews are not working.
The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce is helping to spread the word through emails to members and Ocean City visitors.
