Beach Road Reconstruction & Harbor Walk

Project Highlights

  • Grant Writing
  • Public Access

The Beach Road seawall provides vital wave protection for the main road and direct emergency access route between Tisbury and Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard. The 2,000-foot-long seawall has experienced deterioration with subsequent erosion of the roadbed. This study focused on reconstruction of the seawall to enhance coastal resiliency, while also improving public access to the water by advancing elements of the Vineyard Haven Harbor Walk Master Plan.

Tighe & Bond conducted site assessments, including underwater ones, to evaluate area resources, constraints and opportunities, while advancing design concepts. Softer approaches including a living reef wave attenuator and beneficial dredged sand reuse with eelgrass restoration were developed, in additional to traditional seawall and stone revetment alternatives. Through concept level discussions with state and federal regulators the alternatives were narrowed to seawall reconstruction designs within the existing seawall and revetment footprint. The project is currently seeking grant funding for regulatory permitting and final design.

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