Belmar Boardwalk Closed Until Railings Go On

As the weather warms more people will take to Belmar's beach, but they can't walk the boardwalk to get to the sand, officials said.

Police have been shooing pedestrians from the boardwalk, residents reported, and Mayor Matt Doherty said it's because there's an insurance issue that the boardwalk has yet to install railings. 

Without railings, the boardwalk remains off-limits due to the liability, he said.

The entire length of the Belmar boardwalk was rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy, first driving pilings starting Jan. 9 until today's nearly complete boardwalk. The boardwalk itself lines the beachfront but railings, benches, landscaping and lighting has yet to be installed.

The boardwalk may prove tempting to walk on, but signs and cones posted say the boardwalk is closed although it is lain. Without railings the boardwalk isn't seen as safe, said the mayor.

However Doherty said there is an opening at First Avenue where beachgoers can walk onto the beach without accessing the rail-less boardwalk.

Doherty said borough officials be investigating whether some sort of waiver could be added so that the boardwalk could open regardless of it having no railing. The waiver might be similar to how swimmers who use a beach without lifeguards have signs that say "Swim at your own risk."