RI Asks Out-Of-State Beachgoers To Cool It

Would-be Rhode Island beachgoers from Massachusetts and Connecticut are being asked to avoid their visits while the Ocean State struggles with crowded beaches amid the pandemic.

With New England in the throes of a heat wave — temperatures were rising close to 100 degrees Sunday — beaches are being flooded with people looking to beat the heat. But with officials trying to maintain social distancing, controlling the crowds has become difficult.

Many of Rhode Island's beaches are popular summer destinations for out-of-towners. The eight state beaches saw a 79 percent year-over-year increase in visitors during June, officials said.

In response, officials have reduced parking capacity at Misquamicut and Scarborough state beaches from an already limited 75 percent to 25 percent. At Misquamicut, that means only 675 of 2,700 parking spots are available, while 611 of 2,445 parking spots are available at Scarborough.

"Unfortunately, even with reduced parking, we’ve seen a big increase in crowding + poor mask compliance at some state beaches," the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management tweeted last week.

Other measures are being taken at beach towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In Gloucester, MA, beach parking lots are closed to nonresidents following a record spike in parking tickets. In Westerly, RI, the beach area is a tow zone and town parking fines have been doubled to $150.