Driving into Ocean City at night on the Route 52 Causeway, also called the 9th Street Bridge, visitors normally see colorful lights glowing underneath that often change to reflect different causes, events and holidays.
In the past, the bridge has been lit blue and yellow to show solidarity with Ukraine, green for the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl wins, red and white for the Ocean City High School Raiders’ victories and pink for breast cancer awareness.
The lights came with the 2012 reconstruction of the causeway, a $400 million project that replaced the aging bridge and added decorative accent lighting as part of its design. For years, Ocean City officials and residents have enjoyed the ability to change the colors to celebrate local pride and national events.
However, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has reclaimed full authority over the lighting system, following extensive repairs.
“The decorative lights that were installed on the Route 52 Causeway as part of the $400 million bridge replacement project completed in [2012] are owned and maintained by NJDOT,” Steve Schapiro, spokesman for the DOT, said, as reported by The Press of Atlantic City. “Ocean City took it upon themselves to operate the system without NJDOT’s awareness. The lighting system did not meet its expected lifespan, and NJDOT is in the process of completing a $3 million replacement project to install a new lighting system.”
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian told The Press of Atlantic City the NJDOT has always overseen the bridge lights, though the city previously had the ability to make changes. He said that the city has requested permission to regain control of the lighting system but is still waiting for a response.
According to OCNJ Local, the state recently completed a $2.9 million “Accent Lighting Rehabilitation” project that replaced and upgraded the infrastructure on the causeway. Following the upgrades, the NJDOT has “locked out” the city from directly operating the system, meaning Ocean City can no longer change the light colors at will.
Now, under the new guidelines, Ocean City officials must formally request any color changes from the NJDOT. Requests are reviewed monthly and must be submitted at least two weeks in advance or by the 15th day of the previous month to be considered, according to recent reports.
A separate $3 million project to rehabilitate the decorative lights on the Route 52 Causeway is still underway. The lights have been temporarily turned off while work continues.
In an Oct. 24 press release, the DOT stated it “will continue to work with the community to illuminate the bridge for special events” after the rehabilitation is finished.
Still, the change means the city’s flexibility to respond to current events — such as lighting the bridge for a sudden championship win, awareness campaign or local celebration — has come to an end.
While the bridge will continue to glow as a welcoming gateway to Ocean City, control over its colorful display now rests firmly with the state rather than the community that made it a symbol of celebration and unity.
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at shorelocaljulia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
