Roger Wheeler State Beach is a go-to for families. Why it won’t be as friendly this summer
NARRAGANSETT – Beachgoers will find their favorite sandy spots a little more cramped when they visit Roger W. Wheeler State Beach this summer.
The beach is undergoing a makeover as construction crews replace and expand the boardwalk and build a bulkhead. By the time work is done, the new boardwalk will have doubled in size to nearly 1,200 feet in length and be accessible for people with disabilities.
New stairs, sidewalks, shade structures, a foot washing station and concrete benches will also be installed, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM).
The work, however, will bring some disruptions to beachgoers. Amenities at the beach – among them concessions, lifeguards, restrooms and showers – will open on Saturday, June 14, later than in previous seasons. Until then, the beach will be an active construction site with limited access, according to Evan LaCross, a public affairs officer at DEM.
The beach area also will be reduced, with some sections being rocky, according to DEM.
The oldest state beach in Rhode Island, Roger W. Wheeler State Beach, is getting a new boardwalk, stairs, foot washing station and benches.
“There will be fenced-off areas along the East and West sides of the beach, extending into the parking lot and beachfront itself to establish safe work zones,” says a DEM page on the construction project.
The parking area may also be reduced, DEM warned. It is a popular nesting spot for piping plovers, a protected shorebird. DEM said it would monitor and protect the nesting areas.
The work began last August and is scheduled to last until May 2026, with a pause in construction this summer. It is being funded by $3.1 million in federal money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund; $7.5 million from the 2021 Beach, Clean Water and Green Economy Bond; and $150,000 from state capital funds. In total, about $10.7 million, LaCross said.
History of Roger W. Wheeler State Beach
Roger W. Wheeler State Beach is the oldest state beaches in Rhode Island, according to DEM. It was originally known as Sand Hill Cove, a name still used by some locals.
The state’s ownership of the beach goes back to the Revolutionary War, when the state seized the property from a Tory sympathizer of King George III.
Over time, beaches became more popular with Rhode Island’s working class. But it wasn’t until the 1940s – in the middle of World War II – that the state kicked out a community of squatters who had built illegal structures at the beach.
A rendering of the new western bulkhead at Roger Wheeler State Beach. /RIDEM
The beach was renamed in 1970 after the late Capt. Roger W. Wheeler, who was credited with creating the Rhode Island State Life-Saving System, a series of stations that assisted ships in distress.
These days, Roger W. Wheeler State Beach is known for its fine white sand and calm waters protected by Galilee’s breakwaters, making it a popular spot for families with children.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Roger Wheeler State Beach getting a makeover, new boardwalk
