OCEAN CITY, Md. — A proposal to build a wraparound boardwalk at the Ocean City Inlet could create new space for visitors to sit, walk and enjoy views along the southern end of the resort town’s boardwalk.
The idea surfaced after a previously planned project at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum came in significantly over budget.
In 2023, Ocean City received a $600,000 grant to install an elevator at the museum to improve accessibility. But when construction bids exceeded the grant amount, the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum began exploring other ways to use the funding.
Now, the town council are considering repurposing the remaining money to build a wraparound boardwalk around the museum at the inlet.
Ocean City explores wraparound boardwalk near Life-Saving Museum.
If built, the project would expand public access around the museum and provide more outdoor seating for people who walk the more than two-mile stretch of boardwalk to the inlet.
“I think it would be very effective to have that here, because there's so many people that come here to the boardwalk and to have that extra space for people to sit and enjoy,” said Local Rita Barbon.
According to Ocean City’s public works director, the wraparound addition could also allow the museum to host more outdoor programs while improving accessibility around the historic building.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Ocean City manager plans to work with the museum and the public works department to seek approval from the grant funding agency to redirect the remaining funds toward the new project.
If the funding change is approved, officials say construction could begin in the coming years, with the wraparound boardwalk potentially completed as early as summer 2027.