Lavallette officials say they have the money to incrementally perform repairs on areas of the borough’s boardwalk that need it the most, yet they were still surprised – like many other local leaders – to have been snubbed completely by the state’s issuance of $100 million in grants under its Board Preservation Fund program.
The Boardwalk Preservation Fund was made up of $100 million of federal infrastructure funding set aside for boardwalk maintenance across the state. But when officials from the administration of Gov. Phil Murphy released the list of grant awards, heads were turned when nearly half – $40 million – went to two municipalities, Asbury Park and Atlantic City, that are widely considered to be politically friendly to the administration. Just three towns in Ocean County – Seaside Heights, Berkeley Township and Toms River – received any funding at all, despite boasting the largest coastline in the state.
The Lavallette boardwalk, March 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
In Lavallette, borough officials had hoped to receive enough funding to replace their boardwalk a decade after it was rebuilt during Superstorm Sandy, however the town received zero from the fund. Still, officials said, they were prepared and still set aside a portion of the annual budget to go toward boardwalk maintenance.
“We have some money we put in the regular budget, but we were hoping to get something substantial and we got nothing,” said Borough Administrator John O. Bennett. “I mean, it’s gone, it was a one-shot deal. We’ll do our regular maintenance, and we’ll continue looking for other grants, but there isn’t going to be anything as big as this one.”
The Lavallette boardwalk, March 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Unlike some neighboring towns, Lavallette’s boardwalk does not have as many costly complications in its structure, such as multiple feet of support beams or stringers raising the walkway from the ground, nor is it home to commercial operations that drive the borough’s ratable base. The beach crossovers largely exist on their own, having been forged by the U.S. Army Core of Engineers over the dunes rather than physically connected to the boardwalk, such as in Ortley Beach or Seaside Heights.
“Some places need some more repairs than others, but it’s not substandard,” Bennett said, regarding the state of the boardwalk. “Everything there is there since the storm, so it’s only been ten years. I put three years’ of money in the budget to hold a spot for boardwalk maintenance because you have to stick with it.”
The Lavallette boardwalk, March 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Lavallette, ironically, has been wildly successful in obtaining grants for its beachfront and bayfront from other sources, including those which have upgraded handicap accessibility and some which have refurbished parks. The boardwalk, however, will continue to receive periodic maintenance where needed.
“We can’t do the whole boardwalk at one time, but we’ll repair the areas that need it the most, do the same next year, and continue keeping up with it,” Bennett said.
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