Lavallette's Boardwalk Rebuild Starts at Dover Avenue, One Lumber Order at a Time

Sometime this October, Lavallette Public Works crews plan to start pulling up decking at the boardwalk's southern end on Dover Avenue and laying new boards as they move north. The first phase has no fixed end point. It goes as far as this year's lumber allows, and the borough's current estimate puts that somewhere around Elizabeth Avenue. Shorebeat's reporting places the stopping point between Elizabeth and Jersey City avenues.

This rebuild is paid for in yearly pieces, done by the borough's own workers, and scheduled for the months when the boardwalk is busiest with year-round use. Pedal bikes are allowed at any hour, leashed dogs are allowed on the boards, and the summer crowds have gone. The south end will look different by winter, and how different depends on one purchase order.

A $47,645 Order Sets This Year's Limit

In September, the borough council awarded a $47,645 contract to 84 Lumber, of Lakewood, for the wood. The borough will use its own Public Works employees to remove the old boards and lay the new ones. Shorebeat puts the cost at about $10,000 per block because of the high grade of lumber the coastal setting requires. At that rate, this year's order covers roughly four to five blocks, which matches the borough's estimate of Dover Avenue to about Elizabeth Avenue.

The budget explains why the job is this size. Councilwoman Joanne Filippone told Shorebeat there was no room for more spending in 2026 because of other needs.

"With a $6 million well we were paying for this year, we couldn't also have a $2 million boardwalk project," she said.

Officials are considering a larger replacement as part of next year's capital budget. The borough's project page says the same thing more plainly. Larger sections may be added in later years as budgeting allows. Shorebeat also noted that wood prices have risen in recent years and could climb further if a trade war with Canada escalates. That means the $10,000-per-block figure may not hold for future phases.

The new decking is also a step up from what's there now. Filippone said the lumber is a higher grade than the boards laid after Superstorm Sandy.

"The new boards are rated for higher weatherproofing," she said. "It's a little bit more expensive but much better quality than what we did after the storm."

The Work Overlaps With the Boardwalk's Busiest Local Season

The off-season is when the borough can spare Public Works crews for the boards. It's also when the boardwalk rules loosen for local use. Here's how this fall's rules compare with summer's:

The motorized-vehicle row is the one that doesn't change with the season. Ordinance 2026-05 was adopted on April 6, 2026. It bans all motorized vehicles from the boardwalk and exempts mobility devices used by people with disabilities. The ordinance text on the borough's site prohibits them "at any time." It names Class 1 through 3 e-bikes, electric scooters, golf carts, low-speed vehicles, mopeds and ATVs, and it also exempts municipal and emergency vehicles on official duty. Shorebeat reported that the ban applies during designated bike hours too, while foot-powered bikes keep their usual windows. Filippone tied the ordinance to the state's new e-bike law.

"Mainly because of the new e-Bike law, we had to prohibit them, and we just did it more broadly with all motorized vehicles," she said.

So, with bike hours lifted for the off-season, a pedal-bike ride or dog walk past Dover Avenue this fall may run into a closed block. Councilman Mike Stogdill described the boardwalk as something that "gets used every day, even during the winter." Each block is expected to take a day or two of work, depending on weather. Mayor Walter G. LaCicero said crews will tape off active zones and finish whatever they open each day.

"We'll close off and they will finish whatever they open up that day and be nailed back down," he said.

The mayor made those comments in August, when the start was still expected right after Labor Day. The borough page posted on September 16 moved the start to October. As of today, the borough hasn't posted a start date or a block-by-block schedule. Filippone said the work schedule will be announced on the borough's website. The Boardwalk Replacement page is the place to check before a morning walk on the south end.

What Happens to the Inscribed Boards

Over the years, many families bought boards with personal dedications carved into them. The borough says it will make every effort to remove inscribed boards without damage. Salvageable boards will be saved at Lavallette Public Works for owners to pick up, though the borough says there's no guarantee every board will survive.

Filippone explained the plan to Shorebeat:

"The plan would be to cut off all the inscriptions – the first two feet separately – and then go get the rest of the board. If they take the whole board at one time, they think there will probably be more damage to the board. There's no guarantee – if it breaks it breaks – but anything salvageable they will keep."

The boards will be stored at the Public Works garage. The borough hasn't set how long it will hold them, but Filippone estimated about a year. The borough page doesn't list pickup hours or a deadline yet. If your family's board is between Dover and Elizabeth avenues, it's in this fall's section.

How the Phases Add Up

The full boardwalk is roughly 26 blocks. LaCicero told Star News Group the borough plans to rebuild it gradually over several off-seasons, starting at the south end, where the oldest decking is, and working north. He estimated about five years in total and said weather, costs and other factors could change that. Star News Group reported $250,000 in this year's municipal budget for the project, with funding expected to continue in future years.

The sources don't all agree on pace:

1. Star News Group, August 28, reported that officials hoped to finish about five blocks this year.
2. Shorebeat, September 15, said this year's contract covers about four blocks north of Dover and quoted Filippone on "three to five" a year.
3. The borough's own page, the most recent of the three, says about four to five blocks a year.

Even at the top of that range, five years only works if later phases are bigger than this one, and that's what the capital-budget discussion is about. LaCicero said the borough looked at artificial decking and found it too expensive. He added that the dune system protects the boardwalk from major storm damage, so normal weathering and age are the main problems. He also explained why the borough is putting money into it:

"People come here because we have a great beach. They love the boardwalk – bicyclists and joggers, and in the evening you get the strollers. It's an integral part of the community that you expect to be there. And we're going to keep it going."

Fall Dates on and Near the Beach

The borough's 2026 fall and winter events flyer was posted September 16. Several dates fall during the first phase of the work:

• October 17, 9 a.m. to noon: Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweep at Philadelphia Avenue Beach.
• October 17, from 11 a.m.: Lavallette Business Association Soups of the Shore & Craft Festival at Lavallette First Aid, with soup from local restaurants and craft vendors. Enjoy Lavallette lists a 3 p.m. end and $10 admission.
• October 23 and November 20: LBA Ladies Nights.
• October 30, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Halloween Harvest Hoedown.
• November, date to be announced: Dune grass pickup for planting.

The borough calendar lists the beach sweep at Lavallette Lifeguard HQ and the soup festival at the Firehouse, 125 Washington Avenue. Both locations differ from the flyer, so check the borough site before you go.

If you own a home near the south end of the boards, or your family has an inscribed plank between Dover and Elizabeth avenues, I'm glad to share what I hear about the schedule as the borough posts it. And if you're thinking about how ongoing work like this affects a property you own or are considering, Karin Farley can walk you through it block by block. Let's Connect.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.