Getting Brick's Beaches Back in Shape

The Brick Township council will consider two measures at its meeting Tuesday to help get the township's beaches back in shape for summer.

The council will vote on two resolutions which will seek bids for repairs to Brick Beach 1, the northernmost of the township's three public ocean beaches.

Bids will be sought for a boardwalk and shower platform reconstruction at Beach 1, and a second resolution will authorize the township to solicit bids for parking lot improvements at the beach.

The council must approve both measures before bids are formally sought.

Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis has said the township will likely open Beach 1 before the other two beaches. The Beach 3 parking lot is still in poor shape following Superstorm Sandy, and the state has requested to continue using the lot as a debris sorting area.

Parking for Beach 3, the township's most popular beach, will likely be moved to a separate parking lot the township owns in the median of Route 35. Acropolis said this summer, given the parking limitations, the township may run buses to the beach from other locations, such as Traders Cove Marina on Mantoloking Road.

"We believe the parking at Brick 3 may be inadequate," said Acropolis.

The council will also take up another measure at Tuesday's meeting that deals with parking regulations at the beach. Under the proposed ordinance revision, parking tags would be hung on a vehicle's rear view mirror and be available for $30 per year, $5 daily or $15 per year for senior citizens age 65 and over.