Wildwood boardwalk to get facelift

I made my first trip to Wildwood last year and the most disappointing part of the visit was the boardwalk.

Not that there wasn’t plenty to do — there was. But the actual condition of the physical boards left something to be desired. Many were warped and you had to watch where you were walking so you didn’t trip.

Well, now the state is allocating some money to help spruce up the venerable boardwalk.

Gov. Murphy announced during a Fourth of July visit that the state has appropriated $4 million for repairs to the Wildwood boardwalk. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, according to the Cape May County Herald, Wildwood Mayor Peter Byron says the city’s plan to refurbish the boardwalk has a price tag of $35 million.

Even that is down from the initial $65 million estimate.

In 2019, Murphy vetoed a bill that would have allocated $56 million for boardwalk repairs, but he didn’t want to talk about that when he addressed reporters.

"That's history," the Herald quoted Murphy as saying. “We've started a journey here, and I'm really proud of that."

Part of the $4 million will go to repair storm damage and some of it will address the age-related wear and tear the boardwalk has experienced over the years.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.