The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs has announced that Toms River has been awarded a $1 million grant as part of the $100 million Boardwalk Preservation Fund. The grant will be used to repair and upgrade the boardwalk structures and access in Ortley Beach, which have been damaged by repeated nor’easters and strong storms.
Toms River will receive $1,018,441 in grant funding, which must be obligated by December 31, 2024, and expended by December 31, 2026.
The grant is part of a larger effort to invest in state-of-the-art materials that increase storm resiliency and ensure longer-lasting infrastructure in Jersey Shore communities. Toms River is one of 18 towns to receive funding, which aims to help these communities remain vibrant tourism destinations in the long term.
The grant will be used to repair and replace damaged boardwalk infrastructure, including beach access ramps, and to extend the boardwalk to the former Joey Harrison’s Surf Club property, which has been preserved as open space through the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Blue Acres program.
The $100 million Boardwalk Preservation Fund is made possible through federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, dedicated to economic recovery and revitalization projects across New Jersey.