Lincoln Woods Boat Ramp Reconstruction To Begin This Month

SMITHFIELD, RI — The reconstruction of the boat ramp at Olney Pond in Lincoln Woods State Park is set to begin this month, said the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in a news release.

The existing boat ramp will be replaced by a more accessible dock system designed for boaters, paddlers, and fishermen of all abilities, said the news release. It will feature a single-lane concrete ramp with floating docks, a T-shaped dock anchored to the shore for launching canoes and kayaks, and a newly paved parking area.

The total cost of the project is $176,557, said the news release. $82,929 will come from the R.I. Governor's Commission on Disabilities and $93,628 is being provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sport Fish Restoration program, which is a user-pay user-benefit program that utilizes taxes on boating and fishing equipment.

"The Olney Pond Boat Ramp project is an excellent example of how those taxes are used for public benefit to improve and increase boating access to the waters of the state," says the news release.

The boat ramp will remain closed for several months and is expected to reopen in time for Memorial Day.