Beach Boardwalk

Wildwood meets bathers halfway
By TRUDI GILFILLIAN Staff Writer, (609) 463-6716
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Friday, June 29, 2007

WILDWOOD — Sure, a moving sidewalk that carries beachgoers and their belongings the 1,800 or so feet between the Boardwalk and the water's edge here would be perfect.But visitors such as Diane Dunham are almost as thrilled with the next best thing — a wooden walk that makes at least half the trek across the city's expansive beach just a little easier to manage.

On Thursday, public works crews installed the new wooden walks at several streets. Most of the wooden sections ordered by the city should be in place in time for the Fourth of July holiday.

“You're not having to walk in that hot sand,” said Dunham, of Woodstown, as she and her friends and family prepared to make the trip toward the Atlantic Ocean from the Boardwalk at Leaming Avenue.

They came to town for the day, but with what appeared to be provisions for a much longer stay. There were beach chairs, a cooler, buckets and shovels, beach towels and more. The little ones in her group helped carry what they could, and the new wooden walk eased their burden, too.

The wooden walkways, made of pressure-treated pine, were built through a Department of Corrections program and funded by an $80,000 grant from Cape May County, said city development director Lou Ferrara.
Nine hundred of the 4-by-10-foot-long sections will be planted up and down the beach as they come in. By Thursday afternoon, Roberts, Rio Grande, Leaming and Hildreth avenues had the walkways in place.

Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. said the city hopes to improve access for everyone, particularly those in wheelchairs, who want to enjoy the beach. Beach ends with ramps were among the first to receive the new walkways.

In addition to the 900-foot-long walks, the city has added portable toilets at the end of the walks, including handicapped-accessible facilities, said acting Public Works Director Kevin Verity.

Along the way, extra boards have been added at certain points to allow room for beach- goers to pass each other. Benches will likely be added later, Troiano said.

Ferrara said the boards will likely stay in place until the season comes to a close, and then they will be stored until next summer.

And in the meantime, the mayor warned those with permits to drive on the beach not to drive across the walkways, which could crack or break under the weight of a car or truck.

“Anybody caught driving over them will be shot at sundown,” the mayor joked.


To e-mail Trudi Gilfillian at The Press:TGilfillian@pressofac.com