By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
It was a bridge opening and a public party all wrapped up in one grand celebration.
Even a marriage proposal was part of the hoopla, courtesy of an advertising plane that flew over the bridge while pulling a banner that declared, “Briget, will you marry me? Love, Nick.”
Briget’s answer wasn’t immediately known. What is known, however, is that motorists are breathing a sigh of relief now that the Townsends Inlet Bridge connecting Sea Isle City and Avalon has reopened after a frustrating 10-month shutdown for a major reconstruction project.
“Finally, finally, finally. We’re so excited,” exclaimed Sea Isle resident Kate Lyons Zentar as she walked across the bridge after it was reopened to traffic, bicyclists and pedestrians around 6:20 p.m. Thursday.
Cheers, applause and honking horns marked the impromptu celebration on the Sea Isle side of the bridge. There was a similar scene in Avalon once the “Bridge Out” and “Work Zone” signs were moved and traffic began flowing across the bridge for the first time since the repair project began Sept. 17, 2018.
As an added treat, the Cape May County Bridge Commission announced that there will be no tolls charged through the weekend. The $1.50 bridge toll will resume 6 a.m. Monday.
“The Bridge Commission and Freeholders, in appreciation of the community’s patience during the construction of the Townsends Inlet Bridge, have decided to have the bridge toll free for the weekend,” Carol Brand, the commission’s chairwoman, said in a statement.
Cape May County Freeholder Will Morey thanked the county officials and construction contractors who oversaw the massive project. Altogether, seven deteriorated spans on the 80-year-old bridge’s Avalon side were replaced.
“We’re delighted to see the bridge reopened,” Morey said. “The entire team worked in unison and stayed focused on the ultimate objective of opening the bridge as early in the summer season as possible.”
The repair project was originally scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day, but was pushed back to July after the contractor encountered a series of construction-related delays. The bridge contract was for $8.6 million, but it is not yet known whether that will be the final cost.
With the bridge now open, motorists are once again able to make a short hop across Townsends Inlet for trips between Sea Isle and Avalon. When the bridge was out of service, they were forced to take a lengthy detour on the Garden State Parkway or Route 9 to travel between both towns.
“It was a long way to church,” Sea Isle summer resident Bobby Maurone said of the circuitous route he had to follow to attend services in Avalon.
Maurone rushed to the base of the bridge in his golf cart to grab the first spot in line. He joked that he “wanted to make history” by being the first one to cross once the bridge reopened.
“At 4:50 I heard the bridge was going to reopen. I was in line by 5:20,” he said.
In addition to the inconvenience for motorists, the bridge closure harmed the local businesses that depend on the flow of customers between both towns.
Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio and Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi have repeatedly warned about the negative economic impact on both towns by having such a vital transportation link closed down during the height of the summer tourism season.
Built in 1939 during former President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration, the antiquated county-owned 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.
