How Atlantic City is spending $26 million on Boardwalk renovations

Atlantic City, renowned for its bustling casinos, has hit the jackpot with a substantial $26 million grant earmarked for Boardwalk renovations.

New Jersey’s Boardwalk Preservation Fund, which was created with money from the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan, is distributing $100 million to Jersey Shore towns, with Atlantic City, alongside Asbury Park, receiving the biggest slices of the pie with $20 million each. It’s all part of the state’s commitment to maintaining its status as a prime East Coast tourist destination, as affirmed by Gov. Phil Murphy in February. An additional $6 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, awarded two years prior, completes the funding for the Boardwalk’s facelift.

“Our hardworking men and women of the Public Works Department service this Boardwalk every day, however it becomes a point where we’re just putting a Band-Aid on a wound,” Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. said at a news conference standing along the Boardwalk. “This $20 million will address the structural needs that is conducive to a safer Boardwalk.”

On Tuesday, Small unveiled plans for the repairs, which will include the replacement of 100-year-old stretches of the world-famous Boardwalk, the introduction of ADA-compliant ramps, and overall improvements to the footpath’s durability and safety, with an eye toward enduring the next five decades.

Construction is already underway on Bellevue Avenue continuing northward and will pause during the summer to avoid disrupting the tourist season. After summer, the work will continue from Florida Avenue to Columbia Place — around a half-mile of repairs leading up to Boardwalk Hall. These sections of the Boardwalk are expected to be finished by the end of the year and will use the $6 million award from USEDA as funding.

In the fall, the project will advance to a more extensive phase using the $20 million grant to update older wooden planks and structural supports, starting from New Jersey Avenue to Tennessee Avenue. This major undertaking is anticipated to span two years.

During the news conference, Mayor Small revealed that bids for the initial $6 million phase are coming in under budget, potentially allowing for more extensive repairs than initially planned. The same goes for the $20 million project, which Small said, “if the bids come in lower, we can go further.”

To date, $60 million has already been paid for Boardwalk repairs from Gardner’s Basin to Ocean Casino Resort. While the recent $26 million in funding will go a long way, the city estimates it needs an additional $60 million to repair the entire Boardwalk.