Are Shore Towns Ready For Unofficial Start Of Summer?

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--As Memorial Day quickly approaches, businesses are getting ready for the rush.

"Stocking shelves, getting all vendors in order, cleaning up parking lots, re-striping the lines, getting signage up," said George Forman, owner of Z's Deli in Avalon.

Forman says he's been preparing since February.

But some shore town officials say some areas are not quite ready yet.

"There will be a hassle," said Cape May County Engineer Dale Foster.

The Townsends Inlet bridge between Avalon and Sea Isle remains closed indefinitely for repairs, so over the holiday weekend, drivers will have to make an estimated 16-mile detour.

"They will have a little bit of problems getting in and out of Sea Isle because of the ongoing work and closure of the bridge," Foster said.

Foster adds that repairs of the 96th Street bridge into Stone Harbor will be complete by Memorial Day weekend.

"They're cutting out old sections of steel and bolting in new sections," he said.

Meantime, officials in Wildwood Crest tell Eyewitness News that weather and other issues will now delay the completion of roadwork along Pacific Avenue, though they had hoped to finish before the holiday.

Some beachgoers in southern Avalon and northern Stone Harbor could see dredging, as the third phase continues into June. The first two phases of beach replenishment in Avalon finished ahead of schedule.

Forman says this is one of the biggest weekends of the year for his business and he hopes any traffic backup would help.

"To me, it's a catch 22," he said. "I'm looking at it in a positive light, because anyone traveling from sea isle to Avalon may have to pass my business and pass it again when they turn around."

The following beaches will be closed in Stone Harbor this weekend:

79th St(Closed)

80th St (Closed)

In:
• Memorial Day
• Stone Harbor
• South Jersey