About
Project Background
The Corn Neck Road Resilience Strategy & Dune Restoration project area spans from Old Harbor to Scotch Beach Road in New Shoreham on Block Island. The area faces increasing threats from erosion, rising sea levels, and storm events. This project was undertaken to assess vulnerabilities within this critical corridor, perform dune restoration, and support long-term resilience planning.
Goals and Objectives
The primary objective is to bolster the long-term resilience of the barrier beach and salt marsh system while protecting the existing roadway. The chosen approach should effectively mitigate the threats posed by erosion, rising sea levels, and storm events by promoting sediment accretion, stabilizing shorelines, and enhancing the overall capacity of the system to withstand dynamic coastal processes.
Project Timeline
The current project timeline is funded through December 2025, however, work along this stretch of land is expected to continue into the future to improve resilience. This phase, scheduled for 2025, is expected to progress from conceptual development to full completion of design for multiple natural and nature-based projects. This timeline may not reflect the full extent of delays due to permitting and approval processes.
Stakeholders Involved
Town of New Shoreham
Alison Ring - Town Planner/ Project Manager
Amy Lewis Land - Interim Town Manager
James Geremia – Town Engineer
Mike Shea - DPW Director
Judy Gray - Chair of the Coastal Resiliency Committee