Cliff Walk Repair Approval Moves Newport Closer to Restoring Damaged Stretch

Newport’s Cliff Walk repairs have cleared an approval hurdle, but the damaged stretch is not reopening yet.

The Coastal Resources Management Council unanimously approved a revised repair plan Tuesday, October 13, Rhode Island Current reported Friday. City spokesperson Thomas Shevlin told the publication that reopening could come in 2028, depending on remaining approvals and contracting.

The council’s official agenda describes work along a 550-foot stretch between Webster Street and Narragansett Avenue. Its project description says the revision removes a proposed revetment seaward of a rock outcrop, reducing fill in tidal waters and eliminating the activity previously classified as prohibited.

According to the Current, the revised approach uses steel bars to anchor bedrock below a private overlook. The engineering change helped resolve concerns that an earlier proposal would unnecessarily place stone in coastal waters.

The distinction between approval and completion matters for residents and visitors. Shevlin said the city still needs permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and must solicit engineering and construction work. His 2028 estimate is a possibility, not a guaranteed opening date.

Responsibility for future maintenance of an adjacent private stone bridge also remains unsettled, the Current reported. Coastal approval does not decide every question about public funding or private obligations.Rhode Island Current