Dear Friends,Two check valves were installed yesterday and today as part of the Fourth Ward drainage project. They should help prevent the high-tide flooding recently experienced along Haven Avenue in the blocks around 30th Street. Work to complete electrical connections and activate pumping stations continues. When that happens later this fall, residents will see a dramatic improvement in the routine flooding they have endured.In the north end drainage project, paving crews will begin restoring roads on Monday, weather permitting. They will begin on Fifth Street and continue on the streets between there and Second Street. Concrete crews will work on the 400 block of Simpson Avenue and on Sixth Street. Other crews will install storm drainage pipeline along Seventh Street.Elsewhere, city contractors are at work on drainage and paving projects on North Street, First Street, Second Street and Third Street between West Avenue and Central Avenue. South Jersey Gas will begin its fall gas main replacements in the south end, and New Jersey American Water will be replacing a sewer line on Eighth Street. Starting Monday, Cape May County will replace storm drainage pipes under West Avenue at 41st Street. West Avenue traffic will be detoured for two blocks for the week.
I thank you for your patience and understanding as this essential infrastructure work gets finished.As we know from Superstorm Sandy, the actual storm is only the first part of the disaster. In the coming days, North Carolina and South Carolina residents affected by Hurricane Florence will be returning to flood-damaged homes and a long rebuilding process. Fellow Americans were extremely generous to us in the aftermath of Sandy, and I would hope that we can all show that same spirit. The following post includes a good list of different ways to contribute to the relief effort: “How to Help Those Affected by Hurricane Florence.”I’d like to remind everybody about the annual Walk for the Wounded on Saturday morning with registration opening at 8:30 a.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier and the Boardwalk Corvette Show 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. See more information. This will be the final weekend of the season for the Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguards. See list of protected beaches.Warm regards,Mayor Jay A. Gillian
