R.I. to Mass., Conn. visitors: Stay away from our beaches

PROVIDENCE — As part of its efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the Raimondo administration is again trying to keep control of the number of visitors to state beaches this weekend by urging people from Connecticut and Massachusetts to stay away and coordinating with local authorities to crack down on illegal parking.

Similar measures enacted last weekend helped keep the crowds down at popular state beaches along the south shore that include Scarborough, in Narragansett, East Matunuck, in South Kingstown, and Misquamicut, in Westerly. The actions contributed to the safest conditions on Rhode Island state beaches seen all summer, according to the Department of Environmental Management.

“We cannot let up on our efforts to fight the pandemic,” DEM director Janet Coit said in a statement. “It continues to take a terrible toll on our state and challenges state and local leaders to work together to protect public health.”

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of visitors to Rhode Island state beaches has been sky-high this year. The number of beachgoers in June was up 80 percent over the same month last year.

Crowded conditions and scenes of people failing to wear masks or social distance prompted Gov. Gina Raimondo last week to slash the capacity of parking lots at Scarborough and Misquamicut — the two most visited state beaches — from 75 percent to 25 percent. Both beaches get a large amount of traffic from out-of-state visitors.

The lower limits, which leave only 675 spaces at Misquamicut and 611 at Scarborough, will remain in place this weekend. The DEM is asking anyone who is considering going to those and other state beaches to check the parking capacity status at riparks.com.

The DEM and the Department of Health will also continue to hand out free masks to patrons seen visiting concession stands and restrooms without face coverings.

Last Saturday — on the first weekend of the new rules — parking lots at Scarborough, Misquamicut, East Matunuck and Roger Wheeler State Beach, in Narragansett, all reached capacity before 10 a.m. The DEM expects high demand again this weekend when temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-90s.

Environmental police officers will be stationed at entry booths to state beach parking lots, and state police troopers along with municipal police officers will also be in the area to prevent parking on nearby roads.

As part of the efforts:

Charlestown will be strictly enforcing all prohibited parking zones in beach areas and secondary roads.

Narragansett has designated all no-parking zones as tow-away zones with fines of $75.

South Kingstown has doubled the fine for parking in a prohibited beach area to $150. The order includes the entire length of Succotash Road, which is the only way to reach East Matunuck State Beach.

Westerly posted the entire beach area as a tow zone and doubled fines for violations to $150.

“By keeping crowds down and allowing for physical distancing on the sand, we are trying to protect public health and safety — in Rhode Island and other states,” Coit said.

akuffner@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter:@KuffnerAlex