Three Town ROW entrances along the East Arc of GRB will be modified to increase resiliency

The Kennebunkport Conservation Trust (KCT) has undertaken a dune restoration project along the KCT-owned beach lots (including one privately-owned and one Town-owned lot) extending from Broadway Avenue to Edgewood Avenue.  The Town maintains three beach access entrances along the three Town ROWs extending from Edgewood, Proctor, and Broadway Avenues. 

Prior to the January storms, these three entrances existed as cuts through the dunes.  As seen in the graphic below, these cuts created critical weaknesses that resulted in extensive dune erosion eating all the way back to the small stone wall along Kings Highway.

Two dates of drone imagery, one pre- the other post-storm.  The magenta polygons outline the pre-storm dune area, with the orange polygons outlining the densely vegetated dune area.
 

Following the advice of the Maine Geological Survey, the three beach entrances have been modified to increase their resiliency to future storms.

Resiliency modifications to Town ROW beach entrances

Again, following the recommendation of the Maine Geological Survey, at both the Proctor and Broadway entrances there will no longer be paths cut through the dune.  Rather, beach access will use a ramp extending from the street to the top of the dune with mats being placed out over the dune surface and down to the beach elevation.

The Edgewood entrance will remain ADA-compliant which requires that the entrance remain at the beach elevation.  In an attempt to provide some level of resiliency, the entrance path will be angled to northeast, passing through the juxtaposed Town-owned lot.  This will hopefully provide some degree of protection from south and southeasterly storms.

The Broadway and Proctor Avenue entrances will be closed until access ramps can be manufactured and installed.