By Donald Wittkowski
The prolonged closure of the Townsends Inlet Bridge has severed access between Sea Isle City and Avalon, but other ideas are being floated to travel across the water from one town to the other.
With the bridge expected to remain closed through late summer for a reconstruction project that has fallen behind schedule, a businessman has approached Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio to possibly start water taxi service linking the two towns.
“It seems interesting. It’s in the initial stages. It’s not like going over the bridge, but it would be a nice little ride,” Desiderio said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
In an interview afterward, the mayor said the businessman does not yet want his name publicized. It is not clear how often he would run water taxis across Townsends Inlet or how much he would charge, but Desiderio is giving his endorsement to the plan.
“I would support it,” he said. “I think this is an excellent idea.”
Now that he has lined up Desiderio’s backing, the businessman plans to discuss his proposal with officials in Avalon.
As part of the water taxi plans, the jitney drivers have indicated they would be willing to pick up passengers in both Sea Isle and Avalon once they are dropped off on shore, Desiderio said.
The water taxi is the latest proposal to help ease the inconvenience of losing the Townsends Inlet Bridge. Sea Isle officials also plan to urge New Jersey Transit to extend bus service to 93rd Street at the foot of the bridge.
New Jersey Transit’s bus service is currently limited to a stop next to City Hall on John F. Kennedy Boulevard, more than 50 blocks away from the bridge.
“There is absolutely no way that this bus shouldn’t go down to 93rd Street,” Desiderio said.
Sea Isle representatives are working with U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who represents Cape May County, to have New Jersey Transit extend the bus service to Townsends Inlet. City Council is preparing to pass a resolution and send a letter to New Jersey Transit urging the agency to expand bus service while the bridge remains closed, Desiderio said.
In the meantime, frustration is growing among the public over the bridge’s late-running $8.6 million repair project. Sea Isle residents repeatedly expressed their dismay in comments to City Council members during Tuesday’s meeting.
Jack Birkmeyer, who lives in Townsends Inlet on 77th Street, told Council that the bridge contractor should suffer financial penalties for any delays with the project.
“Why aren’t they penalized when they can’t meet the deadline?” he said.
Birkmeyer said his main concern about the bridge closure is that it will prevent fire trucks and ambulances from traveling between Sea Isle and Avalon during emergencies.
Former Sea Isle Councilman John Divney wants the city to pressure Cape May County for a full explanation of why the bridge work has fallen behind schedule and what will be done about it.
“Sitting here until late summer shouldn’t be acceptable,” Divney said to Council.
Cape May County, which owns and maintains the 80-year-old bridge, shocked both communities in March by revealing that the span is not expected to reopen until “late summer,” far later that the May 22 completion date that was originally announced.
Desiderio and Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi have warned of the economic harm to businesses on both sides of the bridge. They want the county to disclose its contingency plan to manage the bridge work through the critical summer tourism season.
“Believe me, this T.I. Bridge not operating is a detriment to both communities,” Desiderio said at the Council meeting. “It is a real headache.”
The county blamed the construction delays on a series of issues, including demolition work, underwater salvage operations and unspecified “subsurface geotechnical complications.”
The construction project will replace seven deteriorated spans on the Avalon side. The bridge closed in September when the work started.
With the bridge out of service, motorists must follow a lengthy detour on the Garden State Parkway or Route 9 for trips between Sea Isle and Avalon. They now have to endure a 32-mile round-trip journey between both towns instead of taking a short hop over the bridge.
Built in 1939, the antiquated bridge has gone through a series of shutdowns in recent years for structural repairs, maintenance work and related road construction. Estimates to build an entirely new bridge range from $105 million to $175 million, but the county does not have the money.
