2 Major Bridge Projects on the Horizon in Ocean City

Ocean City, NJ -- Improvement projects will soon begin on two bridges, one a “main artery into the city,” and the other a smaller bridge in a residential area,in Ocean City.

Work will take place on the 34th Street Bridge over the next two offseasons, the Ocean City Gazette reports. During work, the bridge will be reduced to one lane between Columbus Day and early May each of the next two years.

Work will also take place on the West 17th Street Bridge that connects the lagoon neighborhood to the rest of the island, according to the report.

The county will replace 13 sections on the bridge’s deck from curb to curb, as well as additional repairs, Cape May County Engineer Dale Foster said during one of two public sessions this week.

Foster said he is not looking forward to the work on the 34th Street Bridge due to the congestion it will cause traffic, according to the Ocean City Sentinel.

He also said the improvements are long overdue, but also said the recent gridlock between Gov. Chris Christie and the State Senate that resulted in projects funded by the Transportation Trust Fund may result in delays for the project, according to the report. He hopes things can be resolved by October.

Work on the 17th Street Bridge would be limited to the surrounding neighborhoods, and affect about 100 homes, according to ocnjdaily.com.

The project is currently out to bid, with work expected to begin in the fall.