Rhode Island Closes State Beaches Due to Traffic Gridlock

On the afternoon Sunday, July 8 prospective Rhode Island beach-goers were greeted by electronic message boards along state highways reading "All Rhode Island state beaches closed" and "RI state beach lots full."

The RI Department of Environmental Management closed the parking lots for all state beaches due to the overwhelming traffic back-up along roads leading into the beaches and completely full parking lots. Because of the grid-lock, and concerns about emergency vehicle access, at approximately 2 p.m. local DEM officials decided to close the beaches to additional patrons in cars.

Land-locked
Temperatures reached the 90s on Sunday ,and the parking lots were full and the sand was a sea of beach blankets and umbrellas by mid-afternoon. Not an atypical summer scene for the Ocean State. However, Sunday was the first time that overwhelming traffic led to the simultaneous closure of all of the state beaches for the rest of the day. Which opens the question of what about the next perfect beach day?

The electronic sign messages were meant to inform motorists that their dreams of beaching it would not come to fruition on Sunday. According to AP reports, in all the years DEM has been managing Rhode Island beaches, they have never had all of the state beach lots filled to capacity and all beaches closed simultaneously. And the handling of the announcement reflects this inexperience as many individuals got the impression that the beaches might have been closed for environmental safety reasons.

Parking Challenges
The Rhode Island state beaches are not the only beaches that suffer parking problems and traffic snafus. Most beach goers expect to spend a certain amount of time in their cars getting to and from the beach, and even trolling for parking. However, they have the expectation of eventually being able to hit the beach.

At the popular beaches in the Watch Hill district of Westerly, RI there are minimal pay-to-park options. Instead many beach-goers rely on street parking. The Watch Hill Business Association knows this, and is seeking a resolution to reduce the current time limit for street parking near the beach from three hours to two. Higher car turnover means a greater number of people can park, and can then patronize the shops. These types of conversations about parking - whether in small towns or big state beach lots - reflect the bigger question about how the greatest number of people can get onto the beach with the least amount of hassle. Neither beach closings or parking time limit changes address this issue.

By Monday, July 9 the Rhode Island state beaches were open for business and had smooth parking and traffic lines. The AP reports that officials do not anticipate another crowded day to the extent of July 8 and blame the overcrowding on the combination of hot weather corresponding with the end of the July 4 long holiday. However, DEM has not officially ruled out the possibility of future closures. So for Rhode Island beach goers, perhaps the only way to ensure a spot in the lot is by arriving early.

Sources:

AP, R.I. beach closures spark outrage