With cost at $2.5m, state plans work at Short Beach
Dodging speeding vehicles to get to Short Beach will soon be a thing of the past for pedestrians as the state prepares to start a $2.5 million traffic improvement project on the Revere/Winthrop line.
But the changes won't come in time for this beach season.
State Department of Conservation and Recreation officials are in the process of seeking permits from the Revere and Winthrop conservation commissions for the work, which is slated to include sea wall and ramp reconstruction, sidewalk widening, street lights, and drainage improvements.
On the Winthrop side, a quarter-mile pedestrian boardwalk and trail will provide a connection between the beach and Belle Isle Marsh.
DCR is aiming to start the project this fall, said spokeswoman Wendy Fox.
Andrew DiSantis, chairman of the Revere Conservation Commission, said traffic and pedestrian access work at Short Beach is "long overdue."
DiSantis said he thinks the last time work was done on the beach was after storms in 1979 and before that in 1972, 1966, and 1956.
"The wall and the ramps have eroded," he said. "The second ramp, if you go there, there is a drop of at least 3 feet at the end of the ramp. I grew up in that area. When I was a kid you could actually launch a boat from the second ramp. I would like to see that restored to launch boats."
Short Beach, which occupies about 100 yards of coastline near the more popular Revere Beach, is mainly enjoyed by residents in the know.
However, navigating the Revere Street and Winthrop Parkway interchange is tricky and sometimes dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.
The plan is to reconfigure the intersection from a multifork area to a T-shaped layout, Fox said. The state also plans on rebuilding three of the four handicap ramps.
The beach area's dangerous traffic was one of the problems highlighted in a legislative commission's report on public beaches released last year, which also pointed to Short Beach's dirty sand and poor water quality.
While the project does not include plans to resand the beach, which DiSantis believes is needed, he said that at least the proposed drainage improvements will address flooding problems.
"There have been more problems with flooding, backing up from the marsh, that affect the homes on Winthrop Avenue and Pearl Avenue," DiSantis said.
DCR officials are scheduled to meet with the Revere Conservation Commission Wednesday. DiSantis said the commission may ask for a site visit before voting on the permit, possibly at its June meeting.
Winthrop's Conservation Commission held a hearing with DCR officials last month, and went on a site visit last week, said commission secretary Marsha Allen. The hearing is scheduled to resume May 28, she said.
The Winthrop Town Council recently approved a $5,000 reserve account transfer toward contracting an engineering consultant to help the Conservation Commission to review the state's plans, said council president Thomas E. Reilly.
Improvements to the Revere side of Short Beach include widening the sidewalk at the sea wall; reconstructing the sea wall cap; repairing the sea wall and ramp known as SB-4 and the boat ramp known as SB-3; removing the access ramp known as SB-2; installing new lighting; and improving drainage with deep sump catch basins and outlet pipes with tide valves.
On the Winthrop side, DCR plans on widening the sidewalk at the sea wall; creating a plaza at the south entrance featuring a drinking fountain, foot wash/shower, seating, and bike racks; reconstructing the sea wall cap; rebuilding the access ramp known as SB-1 to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards; improving drainage; adding street lighting; creating a new 18- to 20- space parking area by the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation; removing debris from a parcel in the marsh; reconfiguring the intersection of Revere Street and Winthrop Parkway; and creating a pathway from Short Beach to the Winthrop Greenway.
Katheleen Conti can be reached at kconti@globe.com.
