Lavallette Shopping for Best Deal on New Boat Ramp

The Lavallette municipal boat ramp. (Borough Photo)

Lavallette is putting the finishing touches on its plan to construct a new boat ramp – and all that’s left to decide is who will do the work for the best price.

The borough council on Monday night voted unanimously to solicit bids for the boat ramp reconstruction project, which officials hope to have completed in time for next summer. Private contractors will compete with the Ocean County Road Department, which can build the ramp under what is known as a “schedule C” agreement where the borough would reimburse the county for its costs.

“The bulkhead has really deteriorated, and it’s become a safety issue,” said Mayor Walter LaCicero.

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The surface of the ramp has also deteriorated in recent years and fewer boaters are using it, officials have said. Residents have also occasionally voiced concern over its condition.

Lavallette set aside $250,000 for the construction of a new ramp in this year’s capital budget, which was approved in the spring.

“We just want to know what the competing bids will be from a public process, and we’ll see which way we need to go,” the mayor said. “It’s already budgeted, the funds are in place and we could do it through the Schedule C, but if it comes in cheaper another way, we’ll do it that way.”