Woody's, Others Struggle to Rise With Pending Rumson-SB Bridge Closure
Woody's Ocean Grille is fifth business to open in Sea Bright; Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge closure pending for five days after opening.
As Chris Wood hustles to lighten and liven up a Hurricane Sandy-dimmed downtown Sea Bright with the re-opening of his restaurant, Woody's Ocean Grille, on Wednesday, his spirits have been daunted by the prospect of the looming Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge closure.
With Monmouth County officials estimating that the bridge will be closed off to traffic for a few weeks starting "on or about Jan. 28," right after now-closed Oceanic Bridge is re-opened, it's like telling Wood that the lifeblood of a major artery in and out of town, to and from his and the only four other open Sea Bright businesses, is clotted.
"This is killing me. It's knocking me and the other Sea Bright business that just got back on their feet down after reviving ourselves from the devastating punch Sandy gave us," Wood, a Fair Haven resident who also founded Sea Bright Rising, said.
"I know this work has to be done. I know it's probably better to get it done in the winter months. But what I'm asking is 'Can't they come to some sort of compromise and either do the work with sporadic closings or at least leave one lane of traffic open?' I'm hearing no, and that's really bad news. It's just not right. Had I even known they were going to do this I may have opted to not open until March."
County officials have said that this maintenance and gate installation work, some of which is Sandy-wrought, must be done prior to a coming months-long bridge closing to replace the deteriorating drawbridge.
“This work (to be done by IEW Construction Group) is required because the existing equipment is outdated and replacement parts are becoming more difficult to find,” County Engineer Joseph M. Ettore, P.E. said in a released statement. “Addressing these maintenance issues now will reduce the disruption of vehicular and pedestrian traffic during the summer months.”
The bridge, according to county officials, is slated to re-open on Feb. 18, "weather permitting."
Wood said he poured $200,000 worth of work into his restaurant, the first floor of which was ruined. He just got shipment of $50,000 worth of liquor in on Friday, too, he said.
He also has a slew of employees coming off the unemployment rolls and eager to get back to work. Much of his customer base comes from the Rumson area right on the other side of the bridge. Detouring to get to downtown Sea Bright from Highlands or Monmouth Beach adds a good 20 minutes to an otherwise two-minute convenient ride over and likely lops off a lot of customers who would have normally just popped over on a whim, he said.
Always calling himself lucky to have not sustained the structural damage that walloped other Sea Bright businesses and applying that luck to aid others left homeless and without their livelihoods via Sea Bright Rising, Wood is not feeling so lucky in the face of the bridge closing after five days of his place opening. But he hasn't given up on the notion of a compromise.
"I've called (Senator) Joe Kyrillos," he said. "There must be something that can be done. Hey, I am still very grateful for making it through Sandy. We just need a break. Not just me, but the other businesses that are open and those who are trying to open, too. Sea Bright has just been through so much."
Wood has his own special connection to Sea Bright and the restaurant, which was Ichabod's until he bought it. Growing up in Rumson, being a Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School grad, he worked at Ichabod's and spent a lot of time in Sea Bright. It's a tradition for those who grow up in the area. And getting the restaurant open bustling with activity, he said, is symbolic for him as a sign that Sea Bright is rising above Sandy.
Woody's will be open at 11:30 a.m. starting tomorrow for lunch through the evening dinner hour and its usual closing time. The restaurant/bar will open on a “winter” schedule for lunch, serving lunch Wednesday through Sunday, while serving dinner seven nights a week.
"Our entire staff is super excited to be back and we look forward to seeing everyone again," Wood said on his Sea Bright Rising Facebook page. "We can't wait! See you soon."
The schedule may be modified because of the bridge closing, he added.
Zeppi
2:59 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Theres so much sand being pumped onto Sea Bright beaches right now. Who is paying for that sand? It looks expensive, theres a ship, piping and a bunch of workers.
Elaine Van Develde
3:02 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
That's the beach replenishment project being conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers that was in the works long before Sandy. It's federally funded.
Zeppi
3:15 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
So it's the taxpayers that foot the bill for pumping sand on Sea Bright?
Elaine Van Develde
3:19 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Essentially, yes.
Zeppi
3:40 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The public should have much better access to the beaches that they pay to re-plenish.
Ryan
4:21 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Zeppi- you pay to take care of Yellowstone National Park as well- quite a bit more per year actually, and you have to pay to get into the park and are restricted once you go in. Why aren't you complaining about that?
Rick Lockwood
4:16 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Sounds like Woody's patrons should go a little out of their way to support them and those who are getting the Town back up and running..dinner at Woody's...soon!
Zeppi
4:40 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
My guess is Yellowstone restricts where you go because of Grizzly Bears. I don't see Yellowstone wasting my money. Sand re-plenishment in low lying costal areas wastes my money. In a few years the sand is gone and they pump (WASTE) tax dollars over and over again. Fighting Mother Nature!
Paul k wernersbach
7:41 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Zappi the money spent revitalizing the beaches also helps the local economies. It may need to be redone every few years but think about the jobs and money those beaches bring to the Jersey shore.
Fred M
8:43 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Trust me on this Zappi, you would pay a lot more taxes by other ways if the beaches were not replenished..Someone would have to make up for the lost revenue..People visit the beaches, people spend money locally, taxes are collected, taxes go to state, fed etc..The government needs x amount of income to operate...You never want to cut away anything that generates income...
rbresident
9:09 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
1). If the bridge needs to be fixed, it needs to be fixed. Would you rather it happen during the summer.
2). Gotta love tax payer money going to the beaches that we have to pay to get on. It's ridiculous we have beach clubs. Should be like the west coast or down south, miles and miles of beach for the public. Instead of yuppie land, aka sea bright in the summer.
Fred M
6:57 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Free beaches are great..You will pay in another way ..It's called taxes...Just because you don't take money out of your wallet when u visit the beach doesn't mean it's free..
Fred M
6:59 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Who pays for the lifeguards etc on a free beach? Who pays for the maintenance on a free beach? Those people work for free?
rbresident
12:10 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Why do tax dollars go to beaches that the public isn't allowed on. There is no arguing that statement. If you own a beach club, you should be the one responsible for footing the bill.
Michael Megill
12:31 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Paul and Fred, can you direct me to the cost benefit analysis that supports your claims regarding the expense of beach replenishment is justified based on the economic benefits?
Fred M
5:39 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Money has got to come from somewhere Miichael yes? Gov stated that tourism moneys that are spent on the beaches. Account for millions in income for the state....One thing I know is the people that work on the beaches don't work for free..You are suggesting what? You tell the people in Sea Bright etc that beach replenishment doesn't make sense . town would go out of business.
Michael Fissell
5:40 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The comments here should pertain more to what the article was about and that is the total closing of the bridge at a very bad time. As stated in the article, Woody, who by the way help feed and cheer up hundreds of people by running the lunch kitchen in Sea Bright and this is what he gets for being a good guy. As stated, the work could be done by lane closures and late night work, but no, let’s not go out of our way to help those in need or those who have helped so many others. Monmouth County have a heart and figure out a way to do this without a total closure of the bridge.
Fred M
5:43 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Paul, please direct me to the cost benefit analysis that supports your claim that beach replenishment ISN'T justified based on economics
Fred M
6:26 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
I meant Michael..sorry paul
Fred M
6:32 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Michael, Based on 4 beach regions in NJ, 18 million dollars out of the States total tourism income of 35 million was generated by Beach Regions...Stone Harbor brought in 700,000 in beach fees that paid for the life guards and beach maintenance..Mayor stated money will have to be paid by taxpayers if beach fees are eliminated..
Michael Fissell
7:01 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Fred M, I'm not sure why you're directing your comments at me. I did not mention anything about the beach replenishment. I only replied regarding the bridge closure.
Michael Fissell
7:42 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I guess you meant the other Michael's comments, which I did not see.
Michael Megill
8:56 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Fred, again, please direct me to the cost benefit analysis that supports your position. I am not agreeing or disagreeing. If you can't provide them, fine. But you have no basis for suggesting the costs associated with beach nourishment projects justify the economic benefits produced. BTW, you can replensih all the sand you want in Sea Bright, most of the flooding and damage came from the backside, the river. How is beach replenishment stopping that?