Parking Fees Boosted At Misquamicut State Beach In Westerly

WESTERLY, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced today that daily parking fees at Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly have changed.

Under the new rates, the daily parking fee for non-residents is $20 on weekdays and $30 on weekends and holidays. The daily parking rate for Rhode Island residents is now $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends and holidays.

Under the old rates, non-residents paid $12 to park on a weekday and $14 on weekends and holidays. In-state residents paid $6 on a weekday and $7 on a weekend or holiday.

A 2020 sign at Misquamicut State Beach shows former beach parking fees (Patch)

New fees for the purchase of daily flex passes will be reflected when the online parking system goes through a scheduled maintenance update this month, RIDEM said.

"Our state parks and beaches are some of Rhode Island's most treasured places, providing countless families with opportunities to enjoy being outside," stated Jason McNamee, deputy director of the state's Bureau of Natural Resources. "The modest increase in beach fees at Misquamicut limit the burden on Rhode Island taxpayers by ensuring that beach patrons – including the 88 percent of out-of-state residents who visit Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly each year – contribute their fair share toward beach operations."

DEM held a public hearing on the proposed new fees in April. Following a rulemaking process, the fees were approved by the legislature and included in the FY 2022 budget.

Additional funds raised will be reinvested in DEM's Division of Parks and Recreation. The funds will also increase revenue to the Town of Westerly, the host community. Under state law, a municipality that has a state beach within its jurisdiction receives 27 percent of the daily beach parking fees annually.

Live in Westerly? Click here to subscribe to our breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. You can also download our Patch mobile app on Android or iPhone.

Misquamicut State Beach has about 2,700 parking spots. RIDEM said local officials and businesses support the new fee structure because rates at the Misquamicut lot were out of sync with those charged at the town and at private parking lots.

Misquamicut is the state's largest and most popular beach. RIDEM said it suffers from unique challenges. Around 88 percent of summer visitors at the beach are from out-of-state. The agency said there is an ongoing problem with trash and litter, and that dealing with it is costly. The state paid to maintain dumpsters and recycling containers at beach entry points, and hired more seasonal workers simply for trash pickup.

"While nobody likes an increase in parking fees, the time has definitely come. The prices of beach parking at the state beach have been stagnant for over a decade and do not produce enough income to cover the rising costs of staff, lifeguards, and now trash removal at the beach," stated Westerly Town Councilor Caswell Cooke Jr., who is also executive director of the Misquamicut Business Association.

Cooke said the extra fee puts area businesses on a level playing field with the state beach.

"We hope people will come and enjoy the beauty that the beaches have to offer and keep our natural resources in pristine condition by disposing of their trash properly," he said.

For all other state beaches, Rhode Island uses a parking fee schedule that dates to 2002, RIDEM said.