Weekday parking for Rhode Island residents is up from $6 to $10 a day, and weekend and holiday rates have more than doubled from $7 to $15.
Out-of-state residents now pay $20 on weekdays, up from $12. Their weekend and holiday rates have increased from $14 to $30.
Misquamicut State Beach is the largest and most visited beach in Rhode Island. The state says 88 percent of guests each year come from outside Rhode Island.
In a press release, Jason McNamee, deputy director at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s Bureau of Natural Resources, called the new hike a “modest increase” that will ensure all beachgoers, including ones from out-of-state, “contribute their fair share toward beach operations.”
The hikes come as advocates increasingly call for more beach access and better parking along Rhode Island’s coast. They were included in the new budget signed by Gov. Dan McKee on Tuesday.
As required under state law, more than a fourth of the money generated through parking at Misquamicut State Beach will go to the town of Westerly.
Caswell Cooke, a Westerly Town council member and head of the Misquamicut Business Association, said the increase is needed to cover the costs of staff, lifeguards and trash removal.
“While nobody likes an increase in parking fees, the time has definitely come,” Cooke said in a press release. “For extra services, an extra fee is required.”
Alex Nunes can be reached at anunes@thepublicsradio.org
