Urban Engineers (Urban) joined Cape May County and Sea Isle City officials to celebrate the completion of the $4.1 million reconstruction of John F. Kennedy Boulevard (JFK) in Sea Isle City, NJ. This roadway serves as an entrance and focal point to Sea Isle City’s popular beachfront destination. Fully funded by the federal government, this project is the capstone to the Beach to Bay Corridor Program that improved this area of Sea Isle City.

The area experiences flooding during large storm events, especially when these events coincide with high tides, which make it more difficult to traverse the roadways. Superstorm Sandy had a devastating impact on the town, but with these infrastructure improvements, Sea Isle City will be better prepared in case another large storm hits.

“We learned at our public involvement meetings that flooding was a major concern of local officials and the community,” Adam Brown, Urban’s lead project engineer, said. “That is why, in addition to providing a solution that promotes mobility and safety, we raised the profile of JFK as high as two feet in some areas to counter the tidal storm events.  While the flooding will still happen, the goal is to reduce its impact during critical situations, such as evacuations, and allow for one lane in each direction to remain traversable for a longer period of time.”

Other roadway improvements included new traffic signals, beautifying the island’s main gateway, adding new walkways and modifying sidewalks to make the wide road easier and safer for pedestrians to cross.

“What stands out about this project is how the city, county, and project team came together in a truly collaborative fashion to deliver a product that will benefit the Sea Isle community and its many visitors for years to come,” said Urban’s Project Manager Steve Locke, PE.