The Public’s Radio — Fight for public access to Westerly beach moves one step forward

A panel from the Rhode Island Coastal Resource Management Council met Tuesday to discuss its review of a contested Right-of-way to the beach in Westerly. Alex Nunes / The Public’s Radio

Jan 25, 2023

By Alex Nunes — A legal battle over a contested right-of-way to the beach in Westerly has become a flashpoint in the debate over shoreline access.

A panel from the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council met Tuesday to discuss its review of the potential access point, which would open up a nearly two-mile barrier beach that's currently blocked off to the general public. Afternoon host Dave Fallon spoke with our South County Bureau Reporter Alex Nunes about Tuesday's meeting and what's next. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

TRANSCRIPT:

Dave Fallon: This is The Public's Radio. I'm Dave Fallon. A legal battle over a contested right-of-way to the beach in Westerly has become a flashpoint in the debate over shoreline access. A panel from the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council met Tuesday to discuss its review of the potential access point, which would open up a nearly two-mile barrier beach that's currently blocked off to the general public. And our South County Bureau Reporter Alex Nunes joins me now with more details about that. Alex, thanks for stepping in here.

Alex Nunes: Thank you, Dave.

Fallon: The CRMC’s Rights-of-Way Subcommittee met Tuesday night, as we said, about this disputed right-of-way. It's called the Spring Avenue Extension, it's located in the Weekapaug section of Westerly. So what has happened?

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