Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bipartisan bill on Tuesday allocating $100 million to revitalize boardwalks across the state.

The Boardwalk Preservation Fund aims to help towns upgrade and improve their iconic boardwalks, which are major tourism draws in shore communities. The money will start being distributed in early 2023.

In Atlantic City, Murphy said the funding will build "newer, more durable boardwalks that can weather the superstorms of tomorrow." The bill comes as climate change poses a growing threat to coastal communities.

The state's budget included the $100 million fund without any pushback from lawmakers. Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, a Democrat, said boardwalks "are very much a symbol of what New Jersey is for the summer experience."

The application deadline for towns is Oct. 31. State officials will select recipients by year's end.

Atlantic City's boardwalk, the oldest and longest in the U.S., could be one of the major beneficiaries of preservation money.