Many Beaches on Jersey Shore Will Be Open by May
ASBURY PARK, N.J. €" Three months after superstorm Sandy, the once-devastated Jersey Shore is inching its way back with many beach towns promising that they will be ready for the summer season.
Some towns, such as Belmar and Lavallette, expect to have their boardwalks restored by then although not all amenities will be available.
Others, such as Long Branch and Toms River, will have only portions of their beachfronts restored.
At the same time, hard-hit towns like Union Beach €" which was mostly underwater at one point €" struggle to come back. Officials there say the beach and boardwalk may not be ready until the end of the summer at the earliest.
Following is a town-by-town list of coastal towns in the two most heavily damaged New Jersey counties €" Monmouth and Ocean €" and when those municipalities' officials hope to have repairs completed.
1. Asbury Park. The boardwalk and beach will be ready by Memorial Day although sections may open earlier, City Manager Terence Reidy said.
Superstorm Sandy left significant damage at the southern end of the boardwalk near the casino and the area immediately south of Convention Hall. The city's sewer plant also was damaged. The total recovery cost is about $10 million. So far, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has given the city $700,000, Reidy said.
2. Atlantic Highlands. The municipal harbor sustained about $40 million in damage from Sandy, and the marina is in the process of being rebuilt.
To date, the borough has spent about $3 million in its cleanup efforts of the harbor. Harbor officials are planning to reopen the facility by April. Shore Casino will open within a month, and the bait shop will reopen for the upcoming fishing season, officials said.
Borough officials estimate that at least 75% of the costs will be federally financed.
3. Bay Head. Borough beaches will be ready by summer, Councilman Brian M. Magory said.
With all major storm debris collected and sand collection waning, the borough's beachfront is in "pretty good shape," Magory said. No project costs were available.
4. Belmar. The beaches will be open by Memorial Day.
The borough expects boardwalk repairs to be completed by then as well. The rebuilding of the boardwalk pavilions, restrooms and other structures will not occur until 2014.
MAP: View larger interactive map
The borough awarded a $6.6 million contract to Epic of Piscataway to reconstruct the boardwalk; overall Belmar borrowed $20 million toward recovery efforts.
5. Brick. Officials are confident that the township beaches will be open by Memorial Day.
The ocean beach sustained about $4 million in damage from the storm. Overall, the township sustained $43 million in damage. The dune system was destroyed in some areas, and the boardwalk at Brick Beach 3 was damaged, Mayor Stephen Acropolis said.
"The beaches are going to be open," he said. "The issue is how much of the beach is going to be there. At some points during high tide the water comes right up to the base of the dune."
6. Brielle. The waterfront area near the Manasquan River is expected to be open for the summer, borough officials said.
The estimated cost of cleaning up debris from Sandy is about $400,000. To date, the borough has spent about $375,000.
7. Highlands. Snug Harbor beach will be open for the summer.
The borough sustained millions of dollars in damage to its municipal property, private homes, businesses and public properties. The borough's infrastructure damages are estimated to be $12 million.
The estimated amount spent to date on Sandy preparation and cleanup is $2.35 million, Borough Administrator Tim Hill said. The overall assessed ratable losses are estimated to be about $20 million.
8. Island Beach State Park. The park is open from its gate south to Ocean Beach 1 €" the northern 3.5 miles of the eight-mile-long park.
The entire park should be open and operating normally by Memorial Day weekend, said Ray Bukowski, park administrator. State officials do not yet have a cost estimate for repairs.
Damage includes eroded dunes, boardwalks and beaches washed away, and the wreckage of the park marina. It is unclear whether the marina will be ready for the summer.
STORY: Year-round businesses struggle to survive after Sandy
9. Lavallette. Borough officials expect to have the boardwalk rebuilt by May 24 at a cost of $2 million.
Lavallette lost about 70% of its boardwalk to Sandy. The borough plans to award contracts to rebuild lifeguard facilities and wooden dune walkovers and for repairs to various street ends at the beachfront. Beach sand needs to be replenished.
The cost of these projects has not been fully assessed, but the borough remains optimistic that the work can be completed by Memorial Day weekend.
10. Long Beach Island. Officials here say recovery efforts are progressing well and that about 90% of the island's 580 business will be ready for the summer season.
Long Beach Township, the 18-mile-long island's largest municipality, has spent $15.8 million on storm-related cleanup.
11. Long Branch. The beachfront will be open by Memorial Day; however, a one-mile section of boardwalk lost from Melrose Terrance south to Brighton Avenue will not be repaired by this summer.
Pier Village businesses are open; the city is finishing $200,000 in repairs to the steps, access points and bulkhead. The city estimates $7.5 million in damages.
At the north end, damage to the boardwalk promenade is estimated at $2 million. Repairs will be complete there before Memorial Day.
12. Manasquan. Most beachfront facilities be will ready for Memorial Day weekend, including the one-mile boardwalk promenade, lighting and the public bathrooms at the inlet and Ocean Avenue beaches, borough officials said.
The borough will use temporary facilities for Brielle Avenue restrooms, and Seawatch facility repairs may not be completed. Ninety percent of the sand has been returned to the beaches.
The borough lost about $77 million in taxable properties from superstorm Sandy.
Piles of debris more than twice the size of a dump truck collect Nov. 14 on an empty lot south of Pier Village in Long Branch, N.J. on in wake of Hurricane Sandy.(Photo: Mary Frank, Asbury Park (N.J.) Press)
13. Mantoloking. Parts of the borough's 2.2 miles of beaches will open this summer, Borough Engineer Robert Mainberger said.
But all beach access points were lost after superstorm Sandy, portions of the island were washed away near its bridge, and homes had significant damage from the storm and a fire from a gas main break. A cost estimate should be available by March, he said.
At the moment, though the bridge from the mainland has opened, the borough is still on emergency lockdown, and recovery projects include making side streets safe and completing demolition work. The municipality has a targeted mid-February as a repopulation date.
14. Middletown. Middletown is in the preliminary planning phases of beach and dune restoration projects for the North Middletown, Ideal Beach and Leonardo areas of town, officials said.
15. Ocean Grove. The beach and portions of the boardwalk will be ready by Memorial Day weekend, according to the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.
The boardwalk will be fully operational from Bradley Beach to Embury Avenue and from the pavilion to Seaview Avenue. Only temporary beach access will be available from Embury Avenue to the pavilion and from Seaview Avenue to Asbury Park, a temporary walkway is being explored.
Total damage estimates were not available.
16. Ocean Township. Most of the damage has been cleared, and recovery costs are about $800,000.
17. Oceanport. Roughly 10% of 2,100 homes in the borough were damaged during Sandy; some 100 homes remain unoccupied, officials said.
Local officials estimate that
Some towns, such as Belmar and Lavallette, expect to have their boardwalks restored by then although not all amenities will be available.
Others, such as Long Branch and Toms River, will have only portions of their beachfronts restored.
At the same time, hard-hit towns like Union Beach €" which was mostly underwater at one point €" struggle to come back. Officials there say the beach and boardwalk may not be ready until the end of the summer at the earliest.
Following is a town-by-town list of coastal towns in the two most heavily damaged New Jersey counties €" Monmouth and Ocean €" and when those municipalities' officials hope to have repairs completed.
1. Asbury Park. The boardwalk and beach will be ready by Memorial Day although sections may open earlier, City Manager Terence Reidy said.
Superstorm Sandy left significant damage at the southern end of the boardwalk near the casino and the area immediately south of Convention Hall. The city's sewer plant also was damaged. The total recovery cost is about $10 million. So far, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has given the city $700,000, Reidy said.
2. Atlantic Highlands. The municipal harbor sustained about $40 million in damage from Sandy, and the marina is in the process of being rebuilt.
To date, the borough has spent about $3 million in its cleanup efforts of the harbor. Harbor officials are planning to reopen the facility by April. Shore Casino will open within a month, and the bait shop will reopen for the upcoming fishing season, officials said.
Borough officials estimate that at least 75% of the costs will be federally financed.
3. Bay Head. Borough beaches will be ready by summer, Councilman Brian M. Magory said.
With all major storm debris collected and sand collection waning, the borough's beachfront is in "pretty good shape," Magory said. No project costs were available.
4. Belmar. The beaches will be open by Memorial Day.
The borough expects boardwalk repairs to be completed by then as well. The rebuilding of the boardwalk pavilions, restrooms and other structures will not occur until 2014.
MAP: View larger interactive map
The borough awarded a $6.6 million contract to Epic of Piscataway to reconstruct the boardwalk; overall Belmar borrowed $20 million toward recovery efforts.
5. Brick. Officials are confident that the township beaches will be open by Memorial Day.
The ocean beach sustained about $4 million in damage from the storm. Overall, the township sustained $43 million in damage. The dune system was destroyed in some areas, and the boardwalk at Brick Beach 3 was damaged, Mayor Stephen Acropolis said.
"The beaches are going to be open," he said. "The issue is how much of the beach is going to be there. At some points during high tide the water comes right up to the base of the dune."
6. Brielle. The waterfront area near the Manasquan River is expected to be open for the summer, borough officials said.
The estimated cost of cleaning up debris from Sandy is about $400,000. To date, the borough has spent about $375,000.
7. Highlands. Snug Harbor beach will be open for the summer.
The borough sustained millions of dollars in damage to its municipal property, private homes, businesses and public properties. The borough's infrastructure damages are estimated to be $12 million.
The estimated amount spent to date on Sandy preparation and cleanup is $2.35 million, Borough Administrator Tim Hill said. The overall assessed ratable losses are estimated to be about $20 million.
8. Island Beach State Park. The park is open from its gate south to Ocean Beach 1 €" the northern 3.5 miles of the eight-mile-long park.
The entire park should be open and operating normally by Memorial Day weekend, said Ray Bukowski, park administrator. State officials do not yet have a cost estimate for repairs.
Damage includes eroded dunes, boardwalks and beaches washed away, and the wreckage of the park marina. It is unclear whether the marina will be ready for the summer.
STORY: Year-round businesses struggle to survive after Sandy
9. Lavallette. Borough officials expect to have the boardwalk rebuilt by May 24 at a cost of $2 million.
Lavallette lost about 70% of its boardwalk to Sandy. The borough plans to award contracts to rebuild lifeguard facilities and wooden dune walkovers and for repairs to various street ends at the beachfront. Beach sand needs to be replenished.
The cost of these projects has not been fully assessed, but the borough remains optimistic that the work can be completed by Memorial Day weekend.
10. Long Beach Island. Officials here say recovery efforts are progressing well and that about 90% of the island's 580 business will be ready for the summer season.
Long Beach Township, the 18-mile-long island's largest municipality, has spent $15.8 million on storm-related cleanup.
11. Long Branch. The beachfront will be open by Memorial Day; however, a one-mile section of boardwalk lost from Melrose Terrance south to Brighton Avenue will not be repaired by this summer.
Pier Village businesses are open; the city is finishing $200,000 in repairs to the steps, access points and bulkhead. The city estimates $7.5 million in damages.
At the north end, damage to the boardwalk promenade is estimated at $2 million. Repairs will be complete there before Memorial Day.
12. Manasquan. Most beachfront facilities be will ready for Memorial Day weekend, including the one-mile boardwalk promenade, lighting and the public bathrooms at the inlet and Ocean Avenue beaches, borough officials said.
The borough will use temporary facilities for Brielle Avenue restrooms, and Seawatch facility repairs may not be completed. Ninety percent of the sand has been returned to the beaches.
The borough lost about $77 million in taxable properties from superstorm Sandy.
Piles of debris more than twice the size of a dump truck collect Nov. 14 on an empty lot south of Pier Village in Long Branch, N.J. on in wake of Hurricane Sandy.(Photo: Mary Frank, Asbury Park (N.J.) Press)
13. Mantoloking. Parts of the borough's 2.2 miles of beaches will open this summer, Borough Engineer Robert Mainberger said.
But all beach access points were lost after superstorm Sandy, portions of the island were washed away near its bridge, and homes had significant damage from the storm and a fire from a gas main break. A cost estimate should be available by March, he said.
At the moment, though the bridge from the mainland has opened, the borough is still on emergency lockdown, and recovery projects include making side streets safe and completing demolition work. The municipality has a targeted mid-February as a repopulation date.
14. Middletown. Middletown is in the preliminary planning phases of beach and dune restoration projects for the North Middletown, Ideal Beach and Leonardo areas of town, officials said.
15. Ocean Grove. The beach and portions of the boardwalk will be ready by Memorial Day weekend, according to the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.
The boardwalk will be fully operational from Bradley Beach to Embury Avenue and from the pavilion to Seaview Avenue. Only temporary beach access will be available from Embury Avenue to the pavilion and from Seaview Avenue to Asbury Park, a temporary walkway is being explored.
Total damage estimates were not available.
16. Ocean Township. Most of the damage has been cleared, and recovery costs are about $800,000.
17. Oceanport. Roughly 10% of 2,100 homes in the borough were damaged during Sandy; some 100 homes remain unoccupied, officials said.
Local officials estimate that
