Documents show Middle Thorofare Bridge is "critical" and "must be replaced"

WILDWOOD CREST, N.J. (CBS) — The Middle Thorofare Bridge in Cape May County has carried tens of millions of cars over the inlet since it was built in 1939.

The drawbridge that charges drivers $2.50 for a round trip has seen better days. The bridge's rating is "critical."

Drivers have concerns crossing the span connecting Lower Township near Cape May and Diamond Beach, which borders the southern end of Wildwood Crest.

"Yes, every time driving over it, we always say we can't believe they haven't done something with this bridge," Kate Hodder said.

A week ago, the bridge motor that allows that grated piece known as the bascule span to open for boat traffic suddenly stopped working .

It's estimated the bridge is raised as many as 6,000 times a year for the busy fishing fleet that comes and goes in these waters.

Unfortunately, bridge commission documents show that the original machinery is so old that some parts can often be hard to come by. But the county had a fast fix. In about 48 hours, the bridge was working again thanks to an auxiliary motor that was located by a vendor and pressed into service.

The county opted to leave the bridge in an open position so that nearby fisheries could continue to navigate the channel and reach the port, leaving drivers with a significant detour.

That emergency incident prompted CBS News Philadelphia to investigate the well-documented problems with Middle Thorofare Bridge and a handful of other Cape May County crossings in Strathmere, Sea Isle, Avalon and Stone Harbor — bridges that reports show have aged out.

For years, Jim Hodder says he could see the signs of wear and tear and the toll taken by the harsh marine elements from his boat.

"There's some places where you can actually see right through the rust, daylight, small holes," Hodder said. "It's just in really, really bad shape."

In a series of reports from 2022 that we obtained from Cape May County and an updated version from earlier this year, Middle Thorofare Bridge is "beyond its service life and must be replaced." Its "critical" rating is troubling for several local officials who spoke with CBS News Philadelphia.

The crossing has since been limited to 15 tons. Emergency officials say fire trucks and ambulances are restricted from crossing the span. According to officials, a mutual aid agreement for emergency response has been in place for several years due to the bridge because they say departments from neighboring towns may be able to respond more quickly to an incident.

While the Cape May County Bridge Commission has carefully maintained the crossing over the years — addressing rust, concrete and paint issues — reports provided by the commission show construction for a new span will not happen until sometime after 2030.

The cost is hovering near a quarter of a billion dollars, and there are no easy answers about who will pay what.

Documentation shows the county has been discussing replacing this bridge for at least 25 years.

Bridge commission officials were open with CBS News Philadelphia in providing documents and exchanging emails.

Executive Director Kevin Lare sent us an email about the safety of Middle Thorofare Bridge, saying:

"Based upon the latest (NBIS) inspection performed by independent consultants, the bridge was not deemed unsafe for the traveling public subject to the current load posting."

Which again is a 15-ton maximum.

"The critical assessment is based upon a combination of the existing load posting (15 tons) and the amount of superstructure deterioration," Lare wrote. "It does not necessarily mean that the bridge is unsafe or in need of closure."

Records from two years ago had warned of problems with the aging system that lifts the drawbridge, the same one that failed a week ago.

Marcello Balduccini, a bridge expert from Saint Joseph's University, reviewed the inspection reports at our request.

"I do not believe there is immediate danger," Balduccini said.

Balduccini said that with routine inspections and maintenance, the bridge still has time, but given the continued deterioration, it's not much.

"Because these are all probabilities, it doesn't mean you want to wait for years," Balduccini said. "You need to act quickly because unfortunately, when it's beyond repair, it's beyond repair. And you need to watch out for the amount of traffic that's on the bridge."

The county has its hands full with bridge projects.

The spans connecting Ocean City and Strathmere, Stone Harbor and Middle Township and the Townsends Inlet Bridge are all under review for replacement.

"With all of the major bridge work, we will aggressively pursue federal assistance as these projects are huge for us in size, scope and time," Lare said in an email.

The total price tag for bridge projects in today's dollars is more than $800 million, according to that bridge commission report.