By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Construction has begun on the first of two new ramps that will replace steep and narrow steps that lead to the Promenade at 51st Street and 53rd Street in Sea Isle City.
The gently sloping handicap-accessible ramps will make it much easier for senior citizens, people with disabilities and families with young children to get to the oceanfront Promenade and for trips to the beach.
“This project makes good sense for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, we want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy our facilities – and the Promenade is one of our biggest attractions,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said Wednesday.
The Promenade stretches for 1.5 miles between 29th and 57th streets and is a haven for pedestrians, joggers and bicyclists. It is often crowded with people heading to the beaches in the bustling summer vacation season.
The city is building the ramps to make the Promenade even more inviting and convenient to the residents and visitors who enjoy its oceanfront location.
“In addition to giving more options to people with physical challenges, the new ramps will also benefit others in our community. We anticipate that bicyclists, families pushing strollers, beachgoers pulling wagons, and many other folks will also find the ramps useful and convenient,” Custer said.
A $298,500 contract was awarded to R.A. Walters & Son Inc. of Cape May Court House to build the ramps. The company has begun construction at 53rd Street using heavy machinery.
Workers with R.A. Walters estimated Wednesday that construction will take a couple of weeks on the ramp at 53rd Street. Next, the contractor will build the ramp at 51st Street, taking a couple of weeks to finish the job there, workers said.
Both ramps are expected to be ready in time for Memorial Day weekend, the start of the peak summer tourism season at the shore. In Sea Isle, the town swells from its year-round population of 2,100 to about 50,000 to 70,000 visitors and vacationers during the summer.
Crowds flock to the Promenade in summer for walking, biking, shopping and dining. Sea Isle already has ramps that comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act at a number of locations on the Promenade.
The ramps include where the Promenade starts at 29th Street and ends at 57th Street. They can also be found at John F. Kennedy Boulevard, 44th Street, 49th Street and other locations.
Separately, the city is also planning to build a handicap-accessible ramp and platform over the dunes at Fifth Street to create easier access to the beach as well as views of the ocean and bay.
The ramp and platform will be built close to Sea Isle’s new dog park at Seventh Street and Landis Avenue opening this year. A construction schedule for the ramp and viewing platform has not yet been announced by the city.
