Boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey reopens after renovations

WILDWOOD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- In the chilly April sunshine, walkers - two-legged and four - luxuriated in five blocks of pristine new boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey on Monday.

"Yes, it's very obvious that it's new!" said Erin Kleinschmidt of Newtown Square, Pa.

"Beautiful. Wonderful. It's perfect," said Rosanne Holt of Wildwood, who was out for her daily walk with her husband Jim.

"We watched them take the cement up and do all the repairs underneath," said Mary Stevens of Williamstown, N.J.

Workers spent the off-season rebuilding the boardwalk from Maple Avenue to 26th Avenue, from top to bottom.

"A lot of the substructure concrete that was there was fixed and repaired," said Richard Harron, Superintendent of Public Works for the City of Wildwood.

This is part of a multiphase project that started in October 2021.

Storms in April of 2020 damaged a section of the boardwalk, leading officials to plan the renovations, funded with state and federal grants, along with local funds.

Officials say the cumaru wood from Brazil is much stronger than the old treated pine boards, but they're still waiting on the Brazilian government to release the last of the lumber.

So while a section is still fenced off, the businesses on that side can still be accessed by ramps.

Business owners along this entire stretch say they were originally told the boardwalk would be closed until early May.

"Thank God they opened early before Easter," said Tamer Radwan, who owns two boardwalk businesses, including a lemonade and ice cream stand.

He says the new boardwalk doesn't just look nice - it seems safer to walk on, too.

"It's 100% better. Before people were stepping sometimes they fall. From now on everything is going to be great and nice," said Radwan.

Officials hope to have this last section completely wrapped up sometime in May.

Another section of the boardwalk between Schellenger and Spencer avenues is set to be replaced next winter.