Seawall Reconstruction Incorporates Ecological Restoration
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. Our engineers conducted a 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.
Successful Partnership on Grant Strategy
Our firm has worked with the Town of Tisbury for several years, collaborating on the Vineyard Haven Harbor Walk Master Plan and consulting on state & federal grant funding strategy. In April 2023, the Town was awarded a FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC) Capability & Capacity Building (C&CB) Grant toward planning for the Beach Road improvements, putting the town in position to secure additional funding toward the design and construction of the project.
Services Snapshot
Tighe & Bond provided conceptual design and grant assistance services to the Town of Tisbury, MA in support of the Beach Road seawall reconstruction project.
