The broken drawbridge on Route 71 connecting Avon-by-the-Sea and Belmar has been causing a decline in revenue for local businesses on Main Street, according to store owners. With the bridge up, there is limited access to the stores, leading to a significant decrease in customers and sales. The closure of the bridge has impacted foot and vehicular traffic in the area, leading to a decrease in sales ranging from 20% to 45% for businesses on Main Street.
The mechanical failure on the 92-year-old Route 71 bridge occurred on March 1, forcing crews to raise the bridge to allow marine traffic to pass through. However, this decision has unintentionally blocked all Main Street foot and vehicular traffic, diverting customers away from downtown and towards the Route 35 bridge. Businesses are feeling the impact of the bridge closure, with slower days of the week seeing a significant decrease in customer traffic.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is working on building replacement parts for the bridge to expedite the repair process. While their target is to have the bridge open by Memorial Day weekend, detours will remain in place until the completion of the repairs. Local business owners are hopeful that once the bridge is back in operation, foot traffic and sales will return to pre-closure levels in both Avon-by-the-Sea and Belmar.
