The Townsends Inlet Bridge connects Sea Isle City and Avalon.
The Townsends Inlet Bridge has been closed down until further notice due to weather-related flooding, according to a traffic alert Tuesday from the Sea Isle City Police Department.
The toll bridge is operated by the Cape May County Bridge Commission and connects Sea Isle and Avalon along the Ocean Drive.
After a series of flood-related closures in recent years, Cape May County officials have discussed the possibility of raising the seawall that protects the approach road to the bridge on the Avalon side.
Police are forced to close the bridge when stormy weather sends waves crashing over the rock seawall and floods the road.
One idea considered by the county is to build a 2-foot “cap” on top of the seawall to make the road more flood-resistant.
In 2023, County Engineer Robert Church estimated the total cost for designs, permitting and construction would likely be in the $3 million range, assuming that the concrete cap concept did not require additional fortification of the seawall.
The bridge allows motorists to make a direct hop to travel between Sea Isle and Avalon. When the bridge is closed, drivers must follow a lengthy detour on the Garden State Parkway or Route 9 for trips between both towns.
