ASBURY PARK – Asbury Park Boardwalk closed its boardwalk to the public on Friday, saying it was shutting the attraction until further notice to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

Asbury Park Beaches will remain open for now, but they're subject to closure should social distancing guidelines not be followed, officials said. Access across the boardwalk to the beach will be available at First, Third and Sunset avenues. Access to the beach will also be available at Deal Lake Drive.

Residents are encouraged to still spend time outside — take walks around your neighborhood, ride bikes, garden, and play and exercise in your own yards, officials said.

Other boardwalks have also closed, including Point Pleasant Beach and Ocean City. Asbury Park officials had warned people to stop congregating in groups by the boardwalk.

"In our continued effort to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors, we are taking the necessary step of closing the Asbury Park Boardwalk to the public," said Mayor John Moor. "As nearby beaches and boardwalks close, we are seeing an increase in visitors and traffic on the boardwalk – making it impossible to ensure appropriate social distancing." "We are vigilantly monitoring the COVID-19 public health crisis and plan to open the boardwalk as soon as it is safe to do so," said Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn. "Our number one priority is to keep our community safe by slowing the spread of the virus."



The City Council urges residents to follow Gov. Phil Murphy's stay-at-home order and to continue to practice safe social distancing by staying at least 6 feet away from others.

Residents may still leave their homes to head to the grocery store, seek medical care, visit close family or someone you have a close personal relationship with (such as a romantic partner), report to work, or go outside for exercise.