Wildwood receives $400,000 small cities grant

PRESS RELEASE

WILDWOOD - Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver has awarded the City of Wildwood a Small Cities CDBG grant of $400,000. This grant will provide funding to improve noncompliant curb ramps on 11 Pacific Avenue intersections between Cresse and Montgomery Avenues. 

"We are so grateful for the State's continued support of the City of Wildwood by Governor Murphy, Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Without their contributions, our taxpayers would have to bear the burden of the high cost of maintenance and repairs to our city streets which welcome millions of visitors yearly," said Mayor Pete Byron. 

Pacific Avenue is the historic main thoroughfare connecting Wildwood Crest, Wildwood and North Wildwood. The roadway is currently being remediated by a separate flood mitigation project to limit the damage caused by rain events and recurring coastal storms. This grant allows additional ADA-compliant infrastructure improvements on this main thoroughfare that coincide with repaving work for the mitigation project. 

"As a Pacific Avenue business owner and Commissioner of Public Safety, I am thrilled to see this project complement the larger flood mitigation plan and to create safe walkways for everyone," said Commissioner Steve Mikulski. "The flooding has caused so many issues for our residents, visitors and businesses. This is long overdue."

The cost of construction as prepared by engineers Remington & Vernick and the County Engineer are $400,000. The City will contribute an additional $40,000 in construction, engineering and inspection costs plus $20,000 for grant administration.

Commissioner Fitzsimons stated, "Without this grant, the City would absorb the total unbudgeted cost of $440,000. It is the State's help with grants like this, that keep us moving forward on our promise to fix both infrastructure issues and taxes."