There’s a spot on the Dorset Avenue Bridge where the road rises for just a moment before dipping toward the island. At the top of that little rise, straight ahead, you can see the lifeguard building and the beach. Whether you’re coming home from work on the mainland, heading to work on the island or visiting for a weekend or a week, it’s the moment you know you’ve arrived. More than just a bridge, it’s where the mainland gives way to the island—and where the shore begins. Since opening in 1929, the bridge has faithfully connected both sides of the community while continuing its daily dance with boats passing below.
Today, as it approaches its 100th birthday, the Dorset Avenue Bridge is getting a little well-deserved attention. Nearly a century of salt air, coastal storms and constant traffic have left their mark. That’s why Atlantic County is giving the historic bridge a cosmetic refresh, preserving one of Ventnor’s most recognizable landmarks while maintaining the character that has welcomed generations to the shore.
It’s one of those rare bridges that’s as welcoming to people as it is to traffic. Walkers, runners and cyclists—I’ve been all three—often stop in the middle to admire the view or catch a cool bay breeze. The Dorset Avenue Bridge is a bascule drawbridge, meaning its two roadway spans rise into the air to allow taller vessels to pass through the Inside Thorofare, part of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Whenever someone visits Ventnor with me, a walk to the Dorset Avenue Bridge is always part of the tour. It’s one of those places that reminds you why people fall in love with this little shore town. There’s even a house tucked beneath the southwest side of the bridge, looking as though it has always belonged there.
Pause in the middle and you’ll see boats gliding along the bay, rowing crews out for practice, or see a bridge opening, which is a fun thing to see unless of course, you’re in a rush.
Look south and the bay stretches toward the horizon. Slightly to the right sits the former Ventnor Water Works. To the left stands Derby Hall, one of the most historic buildings in St. Leonard’s Tract. Built in 1907 as the Ventnor Motorboat Club, it later became part of Ventnor’s colorful Prohibition lore, when rum runners secretly unloaded liquor through a concealed entrance that still exists today.
Cross the bridge and you’re in Ventnor Heights and 45 seconds from coffee, pizza, a bánh mì and wine bar—and the fastest, most scenic and most hassle-free route to an ice cream cone. Go the other way and you’re just two blocks from the beach and the Atlantic Ocean.
That’s what makes this bridge so uniquely Ventnor. It doesn’t simply connect two sides of the bay—it connects people to the places they love. On any given day you’ll see commuters, cyclists with beach chairs slung over their backs and families schlepping beach gear, all sharing the same crossing.
It’s easy to forget that this familiar landmark has been doing its job since 1929. For generations, it has quietly connected people to work, to home, to the beach and to one another. Left, right or straight ahead, everyone who crosses it is headed somewhere special.
Time, salt air, storms and steady traffic have all taken their toll. Atlantic County, which owns and maintains the bridge, is undertaking cosmetic repairs designed to preserve one of Ventnor’s most familiar landmarks while ensuring it continues to welcome residents and visitors for years to come.
The work isn’t simply about maintenance. It’s also about preserving the bridge’s distinctive character, including the decorative lanterns that crown each of its four towers. The next time you’re waiting for the bridge to open, look up. They’ve been part of Ventnor’s welcome for generations.
The bridge work coincides with other improvements taking shape throughout the city. A recently awarded $980,000 state grant will fund a new streetscape on the Ventnor Heights side of the bridge, including new curbs, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping, creating an entrance worthy of one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
It’s fitting that a bridge so many of us cross without a second thought is finally getting the attention it deserves. The next time you crest that little rise and the ocean suddenly comes into view, take a moment to notice the bridge beneath you. Nearly 100 years after it first opened, the Dorset Avenue Bridge is still doing exactly what it was built to do. It lets you know you’ve arrived.
Lisa is an advertising copywriter (think ‘Madmen’ without the men), journalist and columnist. Claim to fame: Lou’s waitress for four teenage summers. For column comments, story ideas, or to get on her “quote” list for future columns: redshoeslzs@gmail.com
