Recent damage to the Boardwalk, widely publicized through news reports and social media, wasn’t as bad as it may have looked, according to Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron.
In addition, the affected section was not related to the area of the wooden way that collapsed late last summer, which was already in the process of being fully repaired.
“The damage was significant, but not catastrophic by any means,” Byron explained, of a stretch of boards torn up by high winds on Monday, April 13, just south of the Wildwoods Convention Center. “Initially, we thought we might be looking at a couple million dollar fix, but we expect it will probably end up being somewhere around a $400,000 job.”
Byron noted that the city is hopeful that insurance will cover the entire cost.
(UPDATE: Governor Phil Murphy and state officials toured the damaged area with Mayor Byron on Tuesday. The Press of Atlantic City reports that Byron asked Murphy to look into additional state funding, and believes he is receptive to the idea.)
“It’s going to be put back almost like a puzzle, using new wood. We’re looking at probably a four-week turnaround once we get started, which will be very soon.”
Last August, a nearby portion of the Boardwalk collapsed, forcing the restriction of Sightseer Tram Car service south of Burk Avenue. A temporary “patch” was placed, allowing pedestrian access to continue into the Fall months, with plans for a more permanent fix to be ready by Memorial Day Weekend.
“We started the full-blown process on that just a few weeks ago,” said Byron. “That’s on target and actually has nothing to do with the damage you saw last Monday. It was purely a coincidence.”
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