Long-Term Repair to Charlestown Breachway Begins

Add another $1.4 million to Charlestown's out of pocket cost for climate change damage

Photo by Will Collette

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), the Town of Charlestown, and the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) announce that a long-term repair project of the Charlestown Breachway will begin in mid-October with the initial mobilization of equipment and materials. 

$8.4M in funding has been allocated for the project, with $5M contributed from a DEM request and allocated by the State through CRMC, $2M from CRMC for dredging, and $1.4M provided by the Town of Charlestown.

The project will restore the Breachways’ structural integrity, improve safe navigation, stabilize the coastline, and preserve essential water flow to maintain ecological balance, and water quality. Granite boulders will be added to raise the western wall, while dredging in Ninigret pond will remove storm-deposited sand to rebuild the beach and dunes. 

These long-term repairs will safeguard coastal infrastructure, the environment, and the community. Construction is expected to be completed by April 2026 ahead of the camping and beach seasons, with vegetation restoration completed by fall of 2026. Learn more about the project and check for updates at: https://charlestownri.gov/breachwayinformation.

“DEM appreciates the collaborative efforts of the Town of Charlestown and CRMC to work together to make long-term repairs and upgrades necessary to protect this important coastal infrastructure from climate change impacts,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. 

“The Charlestown Breachway, Ninigret Pond, and the beachfront are important for our environment, recreation, and coastal resiliency. We recognize the Breachway area is popular year-round, and we’re committed to minimizing disruptions whenever possible.”

“CRMC is proud to continue supporting our coastal communities through the upcoming dredging and restoration work at Charlestown Breachway,” said CRMC Executive Director Jeffrey Willis. “The planning has truly been a collaborative effort, including State agencies, local representatives, researchers, local non-profits, and community leaders. The improved structure has been designed to account for sea level rise and coastal storms and should hopefully benefit coastal users of all types – from the aquaculture farmers to the boaters, to the beach goers – for decades to come.”

“The Charlestown Breachway is far more than just a structure; it provides connectivity to our coastal environments, supports our economy, and functions to foster our community,” said Charlestown Town Administrator Jeffrey Allen. 

“Restoring the Breachway and dredging Ninigret Pond will improve water quality, protect aquatic habitats, enhance our local and state economy and ensure public safety. This project safeguards not only Charlestown’s natural heritage but also the recreational and economic vitality that benefit the entire State of Rhode Island.”

A portion of the Blue Shutters Town Parking Lot will serve as the pre-staging area and may have restricted parking, but there will still be pedestrian access to the beach. Boulders will be delivered and stored in the lot in early November. 

They will then be transported along East Beach to the Breachway construction site. The public is encouraged to use the East Beach State Beach parking lot. Stone wall repair work will begin in November and is expected to continue until April. 

Due to the heavy equipment needed for the project and limited space, there will be additional traffic and possibly temporary driving access restrictions on the East Beach barrier section during parts of the project. This activity may result in additional traffic along East Beach Road. 

A coastal habitat restoration project is also underway at Ninigret Beach, led by DEM in partnership with Save The Bay. Heavy equipment will be operating on the beachfront between the Blue Shutters Town Beach and the Charlestown Breachway, causing increased traffic and potential temporary driving access restriction on the East Beach barrier section and East Beach Road.  

Portions of the CRMC-permitted sand trail will close, and new traffic patterns will be in place during the project. Beach vehicle permit holders should refer to CRMC’s webpage for changes to traffic flow on the East Beach Sand Trail. 

The repair work is a three-part project overseen by the Town of Charlestown, CRMC, and DEM, with RMA GeoEnvironmental of Wickford, RI providing engineering oversight, CAB Construction (Mary A Farm, LLC) of Foster, RI handling the Breachway, beach, and dune reconstruction, and J.F. Brennan of La Crosse, WI conducting the dredging for the west side restoration.