Jersey Shore’s Townsend Inlet Bridge Set for $4.9 Million Fender Upgrade

Cape May County lawmakers unanimously approved a $4.9 million safety barrier under the Sea Isle City-Avalon Townsend Inlet Bridge. This would make water safer and lengthen a decades-old bridge’s life. After multiple fatal boat accidents, the complaint questions New Jersey’s barrier islands’ deteriorating infrastructure.

Townsend Inlet Bridge was built under the New Deal in the late 1930s. Over 80 years, it has safeguarded the bay and Atlantic. Increased sea crashes are caused by boat movement, stronger currents, and larger vessels. After hitting the bridge in 2023, a 52-foot boat nearly sank. A huge private boat with 22 people passed in 2022. No one died in either occasion, proving a ship can hit the bridge easily.

The Cape May County Board of Commissioners hired South State, Inc. because it was essential. The span’s first major improvement. The funds will repair the bridge’s fender system, which shields and directs vessels across the narrow entrance canal. The fenders buffer the bridge from direct hits and keep wrecked boats and trash out of the water.

Township and county bridge networks fundraise together. County funds will dominate the project. The Bridge Commission and its experts will coordinate fieldwork, inspections, and contractors. Soon, everything should improve and be finished by May 2026 for fishing season.

The leaders saw the project as an economic and coastal investment, not a cure. The bay and ocean must be accessible by safe and convenient inlets for transit, recreation, and tourism. Road closures or costly repairs after a major accident might affect traffic and the local economy without safety measures.

Extra fenders improve facility planning. County engineers have begun a separate 1930s bridge replacement study. The project may cost tens of millions. The new fender provides safety while the more involved and expensive plan to fix the old one is being worked on.

Cape May County paid $4.9 million for fenders. The county is preserving marine and transportation assets, preventing Townsend Inlet Bridge boat accidents, and allowing boats and cars to pass. This improvement is good till the bridge is reconstructed.

Sources
Cape May County Daily 
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