Dear Friends,
City Council last night voted to adopt our capital plan for 2024-2028. This is a financial planning tool that helps us be prepared to fund improvements to all parts of the city in the coming years. A presentation on some of the planned projects is here.
I’m proud that we’ve been able to accomplish so much while remaining responsible to taxpayers, and I’m grateful to the entire city team for all their hard work in putting these plans together.
Flood mitigation and road improvements will always be one of our priorities, and a number of projects are in the works.
Contractors are in the final phase of work on a neighborhood drainage project at West 17th Street. Concrete work on curbs and sidewalks is nearly complete. Final paving and installation of pumps will be finished before Memorial Day.
Concrete work and the installation of new storm drainage pipes is underway in Merion Park as part of another major neighborhood drainage project. Flood mitigation work from 18th Street to 26th Street between West and Bay is in the design phase. Contingent on reasonable cost estimates, the city hopes to advance this project to construction later this year or in the first half of 2025.
West Avenue is the site of a number of ongoing construction projects. The good news is that when this work is complete, the entire length of the city-owned stretch of West from North Street to 34th Street will be brand new. Getting there has been frustrating for anybody who drives West Avenue. Here are the latest updates.
Two New Jersey American Water service crews will continue to tie in water laterals next week in the 300 to 600 blocks of West Avenue. The southbound travel lane will remain open and the northbound lane will be closed in those blocks. This utility work is in advance of a city project that will repave West Avenue from North Street to Ninth Street.
The emergency sewer replacement construction is currently in the middle of the 1300 block of West Avenue. The crew will return to work on Monday and continue south towards the 14th Street intersection.
The entire project from Ninth Street to 16th Street will be complete before Memorial Day, and the roadway will be temporarily paved. Final paving from curb to curb from Ninth Street to 18th Street will take place in 2025 as part of a city project.
Repaving of West Avenue from 18th Street to 26th Street remains on schedule to be completed by Memorial Day.
The Ocean City Pops announced this week that Broadway star Bernadette Peters will be featured for the opening concert of the 2024 season. I’m looking forward to another great summer of music with the Pops, and information on tickets for the season opener is available here.
The Ocean City Municipal Golf Course opens for the season on Monday, and season passes for the outdoor pickleball courts at 18th Street go on sale Monday. Our brochure of summer recreation programs is now available, and registration opens on May 1. More information on all these seasonal recreational programs is available here.
The weather forecast looks clear for Saturday, and our annual Doo Dah Parade begins at noon on downtown Asbury Avenue and finishes up on the Boardwalk. Former Flyers great Brian Propp will be our grand marshal. I hope you all get a chance to check out the parade. It’s always a great way to start the season.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
