New Belmar Boardwalk Nearly Complete As Summer Approaches
BELMAR, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - Summer is right around the corner and one Jersey Shore town is ready.
Just six months after superstorm Sandy roared ashore and devastated much of the state's coastline, Belmar's boardwalk is just about ready for visitors.
The 1.3-mile boardwalk was completely destroyed in the storm. Now, the boards are down and just the finishing touches remain.
"We need to put up the railings, the light posts," Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty told WCBS 880's Peter Haskell. "It's part of the character of the town. Belmar has had a boardwalk since 1875."
New Belmar Boardwalk Nearly Complete As Summer Approaches
Doherty said the boardwalk is the lifeline of the town once the warm weather comes.
"We have about 140 small businesses that depend on summer tourism. So without the boardwalk, the town wouldn't have the same character and obviously our businesses would suffer as well," the mayor added.
Residents said the new boardwalk provides another kind of boost.
"Just mentally, it's gotten everybody uplifted. You can see it. Come down here on the weekend, it was packed," resident Joe Fernandez told Haskell.
The new boardwalk is made up of about 2,800 pilings, 14,000 boards and 500,000 screws, according to the town.
The ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the new boardwalk is set for May 22.
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