A block or two of the Promenade will be closed at a time while the project progresses from 29th Street to 57th Street. (Photo courtesy of Sea Isle City)
Construction is underway on improvements to Sea Isle City’s Promenade that will make the oceanfront walkway more inviting to the throngs of residents and tourists who use it every year.
Work has begun on the north end of the Promenade at 29th Street and will move south toward 57th Street as the project progresses.
Along the way, portions of the Promenade will be closed to pedestrians and bicyclists while work takes place. Closures will typically include one to two blocks at a time, the city said.
The Promenade is currently closed from 28th to 29th Street.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience while this important improvement project takes place,” the city said on its website announcing the start of construction.
The Promenade stretches for 1½ miles from 29th Street to 57th Street. The family-friendly walkway effectively serves as Sea Isle’s boardwalk – a hub for sightseeing, shopping, entertainment, recreation and special events.
The city is giving the Promenade a $1.3 million makeover. Improvements include the Promenade’s structure, bulkheads and handicap-accessible ramps.
The city will add a new handicap-accessible ramp at 47th Street as part of the project.
The ramp at 47th Street will be similar to the handicap-accessible ramps constructed at 51st and 53rd streets last year to provide easier access to the Promenade and the beach.
The ramps at 51st and 53rd streets replaced steep steps that were challenging to climb for seniors, people with disabilities and families with young children.
Also on the Promenade, the city is in the process of performing the engineering design for the addition of decorative lighting at the south and north ends. It will match the decorative lighting already in place on the Promenade from 35th to 44th streets, Mayor Leonard Desiderio said.
The current round of improvements to the Promenade will largely be funded by a nearly $2 million grant from the state’s Boardwalk Preservation Fund.
Gov. Phil Murphy announced in 2024 that Sea Isle was one of 18 towns at the Jersey Shore to share in a pool of $100 million from the Boardwalk Preservation Fund. The fund helps to repair and maintain boardwalks and promenades along the coast.
In recent years, the city has been livening up the Promenade with new decorative lighting, new benches and a new public address system, among other improvements.
