Sea Isle, Avalon Business Leaders Call for Townsends Inlet Bridge Replacement

By Donald Wittkowski A nearly three-month shutdown of the Townsends Inlet Bridge connecting Sea Isle City and Avalon had a “huge negative impact” on the economic survival of the two seashore communities just as the busy summer tourism season was getting underway, business leaders of both towns said in a letter released Tuesday. The letter was sent to the Cape May County Bridge Commission on June 15, just eight days before the antiquated span was reopened following emergency structural repairs to fix cracks and severe deterioration in its support piles. The Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization released a copy of the letter to Sea Isle News.com after holding its monthly board meeting Tuesday. During the meeting, the Chamber reiterated its belief that the nearly 80-year-old bridge should be replaced with a new span. “We need to replace it and start the process now,” said Christopher Glancey, the Chamber president. Glancey was one of three local business leaders who signed the letter to Karen Coughlin, executive director of the Cape May County Bridge Commission, the public agency that operates the Townsends Inlet Bridge and four other spans that provide a vital transportation link along the scenic Ocean Drive. At the time the letter was written, repairs to the Townsends Inlet Bridge were still being done and there was no indication when the span might reopen. Concerns were growing then that the shutdown would disrupt travel and the flow of commerce between Sea Isle and Avalon during the pivotal Fourth of July weekend. The letter noted that the bridge closure hurt both communities during the Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the peak summer tourism season. “Major holidays like Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July account for the two most major income-generating holidays,” the letter said. “Travel from all our neighboring communities has a huge impact to the bottom line and the financial health and survival of our business community. “Anytime the Townsends Inlet Bridge is closed our community suffers financially. The closure over Memorial Day weekend had a huge negative impact to income and has negatively affected our tourism season as it drastically reduced the visitation from neighboring towns,” the letter continued. Christopher Glancey, president of the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization, wants to see planning for a new bridge begin immediately. In addition to Glancey, the letter was signed by John O’Dea, president of the Avalon Chamber of Commerce, and Jacquie Ewing, president of the 7 Mile Business Community Association, an organization that promotes business and tourism in Avalon. The three business leaders strongly urged the Cape May County Bridge Commission to “seriously consider budgeting and planning for the construction of a new bridge in the future.” “As you know so well, tourism is our business and our life-blood,” they said in the letter. “Our community cannot fully succeed as a tourist destination when (travel disruptions) throughout the year have greatly hindered our ability to provide the shopping, dining and entertainment experience that our area visitors have come to expect.” Glancey and other representatives of Sea Isle and Avalon plan to press their case for a new bridge during the next bridge commission board meeting, scheduled July 20 at 2:30 p.m. in the Crest Haven Complex, Cape May Court House. “They should at least start the planning sessions now, because it’s going to take a lot of years,” Glancey said of the preliminary work leading up to the construction of a new bridge. County officials have estimated it would cost between $75 million and $100 million to build a new bridge. It would take seven to 10 years to complete the planning, permitting and construction. Currently, no money is available for a new bridge. “They should start the planning process now,” Glancey said. “It’s going to be a long time for the engineering process, and it’s going to take a long time to figure out the funding.” Built in 1939, the Townsends Inlet Bridge linking Sea Isle and Avalon has a history of shutdowns over the years. The Townsends Inlet Bridge was closed on April 3 after structural cracks and deterioration were found in the support piles during an underwater inspection. The most recent closing added to a series of shutdowns suffered by the bridge over the years for repairs, upkeep and related road construction. Repair work was done on a cluster of three support piles originally installed in 1962 to reinforce the bridge after a monster storm pummeled the Jersey Shore that year and caused the bottom of Townsends Inlet to drop. The piles are part of a pier on the bridge’s bay side near Avalon. The county said the repairs took longer than expected because of the challenges of working underwater and the difficulties posed by the swift currents sweeping through Townsends Inlet, a deep waterway that flows into the ocean. The bridge closure severed a crucial part of Ocean Drive, a picturesque seashore route that is popular with tourists and connects the barrier islands of Cape May County. During the shutdown, motorists had to detour miles out of their way to the Garden State Parkway or Route 9 to travel between Sea Isle and Avalon. “Part of the tourist experience at the shore is to drive along the Ocean Drive,” Glancey said. “We want to maintain that experience.” Glancey stressed that the travel disruptions during the bridge closure had made it particularly hard for residents and tourists in Sea Isle and Avalon to enjoy the restaurants, nightclubs and shopping attractions offered by both towns. Local businesses also suffered, he noted. “It was definitely a significant impact on business, because of the restrictions on travel. It also restricted the movement of customers from town to town,” Glancey said. The Townsends Inlet Bridge is part of a network of aging spans along Ocean Drive operated by the Cape May County Bridge Commission. The other spans under the commission’s control are the Middle Thorofare Bridge, the Grassy Sound Bridge, the Corsons Inlet Bridge and the Ocean City-Longport Bridge. Only the Ocean City-Longport Bridge is a modern span. The Townsends Inlet, Middle Thorofare and Grassy Sound bridges were built in the 1930s, while the Corsons Inlet Bridge is just a few years younger.