NEWBURY — Cars can once again access the Sandy Point State Reservation at the tip of Plum Island after Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (Parker River NWR) staff over the weekend announced the reopening of its lower gravel road.
The road was closed for roughly 12 days starting July 6 so that heavy machinery could install new gravel without affecting public safety. The road had not been rehabilitated in more than 15 years leading to concerns about the road supporting the heavy volume of visitors who stream into the barrier island on a regular basis.
“The new surface is not only safer for driving, biking, and walking, but addressed critically deteriorated areas that would soon have required extensive reconstruction and extended closures,” a statement from Parker River NWR officials read.
Over the course of the 10-day intensive construction window, an Ipswich trucking company delivered 7,600 tons of new material. In the initial week of the road closure, maintenance staff with specialized experience in road construction began by laying down a fresh base layer, which was then topped with a finer material during the second week, according to the Parker River NWR.
“This process elevated the road by up to 6 inches in some areas, significantly improving its surface. Beyond rehabilitating the gravel road, the project also included rebuilding and stabilizing roadway shoulders along paved sections of refuge road. These improvements are designed to improve drainage and preserve the structural integrity, ensuring the paved road can continue to safely support the heavy use it receives,” a Parker River NWR spokesperson said, in a statement.
The project was funded primarily through the Federal Lands Transportation Program and required that Parker River NWR officials work closely with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) on project logistics and safety, according to the same statement.
Completing the project with in-house service professionals also resulted in significant cost savings that will be pumped back into the refuge by addressing public safety and access projects, the Parker River NWR added.
During the closure, there was no public access to facilities south of the Hellcat Observation Area, including Sandy Point State Reservation, unless by boat.
In addition to improving the gravel road, refuge staff are rebuilding and stabilizing roadway shoulders along the paved sections of Refuge Road with the idea of improving drainage, reducing edge deterioration, and maintaining long-term road safety. The shoulder rehabilitation project will not require any road closures, as vehicles will be able to safely pass around equipment operators.
Parker River NWR officials said public feedback about the roadway improvements has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“We are very appreciative of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s hardworking maintenance professionals who assisted in rehabilitating the gravel road. The new surface is not only safer for driving, biking, and walking, but addressed critically deteriorated areas that would soon have required extensive reconstruction and extended closures,” a Parker River NWR spokesperson said, in a statement.
Dave Rogers is the editor of the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.