Boardwalks symbolize New Jersey’s culture with game and food stands, kiosks, rides, and beach views. In August 2023, Governor Phil Murphy signed S3989/A5675, which established the Boardwalk Preservation Fund and provided $100 million for the renovation and repair of New Jersey boardwalks. The application process for the Boardwalk Preservation Fund was opened and as of February 2024, the state has selected the 18 Jersey Shore towns to share the funding. Read on to learn more about the funding and repairs that will occur at the Jersey Shore.
About the Boardwalk Preservation Fund
On August 15th, 2023, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation that set up the Boardwalk Preservation Fund that would provide $100 million for the renovation and repair of New Jersey boardwalks. An application process was put into place that same day and was managed by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the deadline was closed on October 31st. In a press release, Governor Phil Murphy shared, “From Atlantic City to Asbury Park, for decades our state’s boardwalks have served as iconic fixtures in our Shore communities, contributing not just to their local economies but to their unique histories and cultural fabric as well.”
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Although its deadline closed, Senator Paul Sarlo, Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee did acknowledge that it was going to be “an ongoing investment that will help Shore communities reduce the expenses of upgrading and maintaining the boardwalks that are as much a part of the Jersey Shore as the sand and the sea.”
With some tourists making the Jersey Shore their destination for the summer, the Boardwalk Preservation Fund will help New Jersey coastal cities preserve and maintain tourist locations for generations to come. Applications for the Boardwalk Preservation Fund were opened through the Official Site of the State of New Jersey website.
Next Steps
Fast forward to February 23rd, 2024, when the Murphy Administration announced that the award of $100 million in Boardwalk Preservation Fund grants would be given to 18 New Jersey municipalities. “We look forward to all the vital projects that will result from our Boardwalk Preservation Fund investments. The grant awards announced today are a meaningful step in preserving the health and dynamism of these special places,” Governor Murphy said.
The following municipalities were awarded funding: Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Belmar Borough, Berkeley Township, Bradley Beach, Brigantine, Cape May City, Carteret Borough, Keyport Borough, Long Branch, North Wildwood, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Seaside Heights, Toms River, Ventnor, Wildwood City, and Wildwood Crest Borough. Each city was given different amounts based on which shore municipalities were experiencing financial distress and ranked its projects in Municipal Distress Measure order. The amount of funding allocated to each community can be found here.
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The administration made the allocations based on eligible projects that met one of the following criteria: boardwalk construction that would add new components, maintenance, reconstruction, or repair of ancillary or appurtenant structures.
Selected municipalities will receive the funding by December 31st, 2024. Then, the grant recipients should expect to use this funding by December 31st, 2026.
