Jersey Shore Amusements Race Time to Rebuild for Summer

In Seaside Heights, at the heart of the New Jersey shore, the log flume at Casino Pier hangs at the edge of broken boards. The Wild Mouse ride is being dismantled. The Jet Star roller coaster, ripped from its base when Hurricane Sandy struck, still sits in the ocean.

While many people count the shopping days until Christmas, on the battered Jersey Shore it’s the days until beach season that really matter. Seven weeks after Sandy struck and less than six months before Memorial Day, boardwalk operators, merchants and mayors are seeking answers to even the most basic questions: What was broken, what will it cost to fix and, perhaps most importantly, how much can be done before beachgoers return?