Beach erosion could close some Wildwood beaches on Memorial Day weekend

WILDWOOD, N.J. - With the unofficial start of summer just weeks away, officials in New Jersey shore towns say that beach erosion from recent storms has already cost millions to fix and could impact beach access on Memorial Day weekend.

In North Wildwood, coastal erosion was worsened by a Mother's Day weekend storm that battered the popular summer hotspot with flooding rain and high winds.

Mayor Patrick T. Rosenello told FOX 29 that North Wildwood has already used a third of its spring beach replenishment sand to make the impacted areas. 

"Unfortunately it’s about a million dollars, the whole project is about $3M, so we’re looking at about $1M in sand that has moved back into the surf zone." Rosenello said.

Beach erosion in North Wildwood threatens to close parts of the beach this Memorial Day Weekend.

The beach replenishment project has pushed back the opening of some beach for several weeks, according to Rosenello. Beachgoers can expect blocks between 2nd and 15th to still have stockpiled sand or be completely closed to the public. 

"People can probably expect to see some portion of the stockpile here for the Memorial Day weekend, we will have most of the beach open, a big inlet beach and future south will be open," Rosenello said. 

The mayor reminded beachgoers to avoid closed beaches for their own safety. 

"On the other side of it, there’s some very steep drop-offs where the ocean scarped the stockpile so it can be very dangerous."