New Ocean City Route For MS To Shore Bike Ride This Weekend

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The MS City to Shore ride will end in Ocean City on Saturday, Sept. 23, and it has a new route this year. The route will move to the Route 52 causeway, which will bring an estimated 6,000 riders into Ocean City at Ninth Street, Mayor Jay Gillian announced on Wednesday.

The annual bicycle trek begins in Cherry Hill and finishes at the parking lot at Fifth Street and Boardwalk. Many of the riders return the next day. The ride is a fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, which changed the route this year. Riders will enter town on the Route 52 causeway and Ninth Street, before traveling down Bay Avenue and Fifth Street. Drivers should expect delays and detours throughout the day on Saturday.

“Ocean City is fully supportive of the charity ride and its important mission in supporting MS research,” Gillian said. “The city has enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the annual event. Like so many others, my family has been affected by MS, and I will always be 100 percent behind an effort that raises millions of dollars for the National MS Society. While I'm disappointed that the traditional route using the less-traveled Ocean City-Longport Bridge has been changed, I do understand the concerns for public safety shared by other municipalities along the route.

“I will make sure that Ocean City finds a way to accommodate the riders and keep them safe, preserve response times for our emergency vehicles, and provide continued vehicle access to homes, businesses, the beach and boardwalk. I want to thank Ocean City Police Chief Chad Callahan, Somers Point Police Chief Michael Boyd and all other public safety officials for working together on creating a plan for a safe event.”

He also thanked residents in advance for their patience during this weekend’s potential delays. For more information on the event, visit www.bikems.org.

The attached image was previously provided by Mark Soifer