Toms River Awarded $1M Grant For Boardwalk Repairs

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River has been awarded a $1 million grant by the state for repairs to the boardwalk structures and access in Ortley Beach.

The award is part of $100 million in grants awarded to communities up and down the Jersey Shore to address critical needs of their boardwalks, according to a news release from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

Toms River is one of 18 towns to receive the grant funding that "aims to help Jersey shore communities remain vibrant tourism destinations in the long term by investing in state-of-the-art materials that increase storm resiliency and ensure longer lasting infrastructure," state officials said.

Toms River's boardwalk in Ortley Beach, rebuilt following Superstorm Sandy, has seen its beach access ramps repeatedly damaged by nor'easters and other strong storms that have caused erosion of the beach. There also are plans to extend the boardwalk to the former Joey Harrison's Surf Club property, which has been preserved as open space through the state Department of Environmental Protection's Blue Acres program; Toms River and the NJDEP have been working out details on how that piece of property will be configured.

The $100 million Boardwalk Preservation Fund is made possible through federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Corongavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, which have been dedicated to economic recovery and revitalization projects across New Jersey.

"So many of us have created memories with family and friends at the boardwalks of the Jersey Shore," Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement issued about the Boardwalk Preservation Fund. "Our boardwalks have long been a prized destination and we want to keep them that way by helping shore communities repair and maintain these wooden main streets," calling the grants "a meaningful step in preserving the health and dynamism of these special places."

The boardwalks are "incredibly expensive for local governments to maintain, repair, and strengthen," said Jacquelyn A. Suárez, the acting commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs. "We are confident these grant awards will help our boardwalks thrive and continue to inspire and delight visitors for years to come."

New Jersey coastal counties and municipalities with existing boardwalks that sought funding for boardwalk construction, repair, and maintenance were eligible to apply. Applications were due by Oct. 31, 2023.

Eligible projects had to meet at least one of the following criteria: boardwalk construction that adds new boardwalk components, boardwalk maintenance, boardwalk reconstruction, or repair of ancillary or appurtenant structures.

Examples of projects include replacement of old and crumbling decking along the boardwalk with resilient, longer-lasting materials; replacement of deteriorating pilings and boardwalk infrastructure; improving access and safety by building ADA-compliant ramps and railings; expanding an existing section of the boardwalk; and providing grant funds to businesses that need to complete upgrades to align with the proposed boardwalk construction.

Toms River is receiving $1,018,441, the announcement said.

All grants funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024, and must be expended by the grant recipients by Dec, 31, 2026.