East Matunuck State Beach Closing For 2 Weeks For Entryway Project

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — East Matunuck State Beach in South Kingstown will close for about a two-week stretch starting Monday, officials with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management said Thursday.

DEM officials said the closure is to allow crews to wrap up a construction project that added a third lane to the entrance and strengthened stormwater controls. The temporary closure will also enable the contractor to pave and stripe the parking lot and finish the $700,000 job, which was financed by state capital funds and money raised by the 2021 green economy bond.

During the final phase of construction, the parking lot will be closed. DEM reminded patrons that parking along Succotash Road is prohibited by South Kingstown ordinance.

DEM officials said that the new entryway should reduce traffic congestion by getting vehicles off the road and into the parking lot faster. State officials said the project also improved the ability to capture stormwater runoff in the parking lot and infiltrate it in the ground over a period of days to prevent it from reaching the ocean.

Precipitation in an urban or suburban area that does not evaporate or soak into the ground, but instead runs across the land and into the nearest waterway is stormwater runoff. This runoff can hold harmful pollutants like fertilizer, pet waste, chemical contaminants like pesticides, leaking fuel, motor oil, litter, and sediment such as dirt and sand. It can cause beach closures, shellfish closures, and other water quality problems if left untreated.

"Cleaner beaches start with better stormwater controls," DEM Director Terry Gray said. "Installing a better infiltration system is an integral part of this project."

Additional stormwater improvements are planned for the fall, after the 2023 beach season, DEM officials said.