Boston Globe: Newport Cliff Walk repairs get federal funding boost

PROVIDENCE – The city of Newport’s efforts to fix the Cliff Walk section that collapsed more than two years ago are getting a federal funding boost. Along with a city contribution, the federal support should be enough to fully repair and reopen that stretch.

The funding comes just after the city discovered sinkholes in another section of the Cliff Walk, underscoring the challenges of managing a popular tourist attraction that’s vulnerable to erosion and the forces of nature.

The congressional delegation representing Newport announced the federal cash infusion on Monday.

“This federal funding will help make the walking trail safer and preserve its natural and historic significance for future generations,” US Senator Jack Reed said in a news release issued with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Gabe Amo.

Newport’s Cliff Walk, which starts at a beautiful beach, skirts stately mansions, and ends up on a rugged natural shoreline, draws more than a million visitors a year, according to the city of Newport. In March 2022, a portion of the Cliff Walk between Narragansett Avenue and Webster Street collapsed, sending debris into the sea below. Another section crumbled a few months later. A short detour has been in place ever since, and the city says it hasn’t dented people’s enthusiasm for the path.

As the city mulled its options, some experts said the city faced tough questions about whether to rebuild in an area susceptible to the grinding forces of nature or to retreat – in other words, make the detour permanent. But the city pushed to rebuild the Cliff Walk back to how it was before the collapse. The question came down to money.

The answer came from Washington. On Monday, the congressional delegation announced that the city had received a $11 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation. That grant would go toward repairing the collapsed section. The total repair project is expected to cost $13.75 million. The city is planning on trying to float a bond to fund the rest of the project cost, or about $2.75 million. The Cliff Walk money would be part of a much larger bond in the city.

“We feel confident that we should be able to repair and reopen that particular section,” said Tom Shevlin, a spokesman for the city. “The Cliff Walk is a statewide treasure.”

Separate from the grant, the Cliff Walk is also getting a $5 million federal earmark that the congressional delegation secured. The city will use that earmark for a broader assessment of the entire walk.

Governor Dan McKee has also proposed steering $8 million in state bond proceeds to the Cliff Walk in his budget. If it’s in the final budget, the proposal would go to voters, who would have the final say on whether to borrow the money.

Asked whether that proposal will remain in light of the federal funding that has now been announced, McKee’s office said in an emailed statement:

“We are grateful to Senator Reed and Senator Whitehouse for securing crucial federal funding to restore this iconic landmark that is a key driver of Newport’s local economy. We will be engaging in discussions with the City of Newport about the proposed bond funding for the Cliff Walk in the Governor’s budget.”

The process of fully assessing the Cliff Walk will be accelerated due to the discovery of sinkholes earlier this month, which closed a southern portion of the walk. The city is scheduled to have ground-penetrating radar explore the area this week.