Jersey Shore beaches are allowed to reopen next Friday, May 22, just in time for the “start of summer” Memorial Day weekend.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the news today, May 14, regarding public and private New Jersey beaches, with social distancing guidelines still in effect.
“The Shore is central to our Jersey identity and we want to ensure that families can safely enjoy it this summer,” he wrote on Twitter.
The opening, of course, comes with certain stipulations that beaches will have to maintain, including:
- Limits on how many people can be on the beach at a time (which each local town will decide on)
- Six feet demarcations in certain areas
- Communication specifying social distancing regulations
- No special events
- Sanitizing requirements
- All of the following must remain closed: playgrounds, rides, arcades, games, water fountains, picnic areas, and water play equipment
He is also allowing restrooms at NJ Parks to reopen, “so long as they undergo frequent and proper cleaning.”
It is a somewhat surprising decision, as NY Governor Cuomo had been emphasizing that reopening must be carefully coordinated with nearby states since people will simply drive to open establishments and areas if they can.
NYC beaches, on the other hand, are definitely not opening Memorial Day Weekend. Mayor de Blasio had said they will not be opening “anytime soon…but we’re certainly going to keep the option, depending on how well we do, for options later on in the year.”
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