The Middle Thorofare Bridge, also known as the Two Mile Bridge, which connects Wildwood Crest and Diamond Beach in Lower Township reopened on Wednesday, much earlier than expected. The bridge had been closed due to a complete failure of the drive-shaft motor that opens and closes the bridge. Initially, officials predicted that the repairs could take weeks, but engineers were able to locate a replacement motor and worked tirelessly to install it, leading to an early reopening.
The bridge was deemed fully operational as of 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, and all traffic is now open to the bridge with no restrictions. The unexpected early reopening was hailed as a "miracle" by Cape May County Bridge Commission Director Leonard Desiderio. "Under the leadership of our County Administrator and Bridge Commission Director Kevin Lare, we took a best-case multi-week closure scenario and made a miracle happen," Desiderio said in a statement reported by NJ.com.
Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera also expressed his gratitude on Facebook, thanking County Administrator Kevin Lare for his efforts. The reopening of the bridge is a significant relief for the local community, as many use it to cross into and out of the area.