Dredging at Perrotti Park have begun. The work is being done in concert with an expansion project at the downtown dock area. (Photo by Tom Shevlin)
NEWPORT, R.I. – Dredging has begun at Perrotti Park, where long awaited improvements will hopefully entice the expanded use of waterborne transit and make the harbor a bit more friendly to transient boaters.
Late last week, a barge loaded with a large crane slowly made its way into this downtown corner of Newport Harbor.
Over the next several weeks, it will scoop roughly 10,000 cubic yards of sediment from the shallow sea floor and deposit it onto a barge tied up along side its platform.
The dredging project is intended to enable full use of a new federally-funded dock installation at Perrotti Park scheduled for installation in the Spring.
Earlier this year, the city received CRMC approval to dredge 10,900 cubic yards of material from Perrotti Park and dispose of the dredged material in the Providence River. The approval, which includes permits from the RIDEM and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, must be completed prior to Jan. 31 in order to prevent disruption to aquatic life in Narrangansett Bay.
City Council members met in a special session on Friday to approve a revised revenue plan for the $425,000 project, which city officials say will increase public dockage and provide an increased landing site for water taxis and cruise ship tenders.
Specifically, the special session was called after the city received word from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) that it would not give final approval to a $26,746 grant the city had counted into its funding stream.
In a memo sent to the city administration on Dec. 16, Economic Development Director Jonathan Stevens wrote “Unfortunately, the city was unable to secure this final approval, nor approval from any other federal/state matching funding for the $26,746 funding gap.”
The administration instead requested that the council amend the bid award by striking the language referring to the RIDOT funding, replacing it with language to transfer funds from the City Council’s Contingency Fund. The council approved the measure, and Stevens has pledged to continue to investigate alternate sources of funding for the project in order to replenish the Contingency Fund.
Once complete, the project will include new floating docks similar to those already in use outside of the Harbormaster’s Office, as well as a new gazebo structure at the Long Wharf side of the park. Officials hope that by expanding the park’s facilities, it will be better able to facilitate the disembarkation of passengers from the city’s burgeoning cruise ship traffic, encourage the expanded use of waterborne transit, and generate additional revenue through tie-up fees.
The whole project is expected to be wrapped up in time for the summer season.
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Newport, RI
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s unfortunate that the city will not allow the placement of a small information kiosk at Perotti Park to inform tourists of the existing Harbor shuttle services.
No one passing by Perotti Park knows that any such shuttle service exists.
Newport’s best kept secret.
Agreed, Matt
The harbor shuttle is the city’s best kept secret. Although it really shouldn’t be a secret at all.
Matt, there’s an information desk in the first floor of the harbormaster’s office for that type of service, right there at the park.
There should be a information/ticket booth outside, near the docks. Most people walk by the docks without venturing inside the building.