Sandwich Boardwalk rebuild could move ahead more quickly. Here's the latest
SANDWICH — The town of Sandwich may be able to move ahead on reconstruction of the Sandwich Boardwalk with a permit in hand by the spring.
The town has been informed that the U.S. Coast Guard will be responsible for issuing a comprehensive permit for the reconstruction of the boardwalk, giving the town newfound confidence that the permits will come in on time, said Assistant Town Manager Heather Harper.
The town originally submitted a permit application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But the Corps, while looking through historical documentation, found out that the Coast Guard is responsible for the boardwalk permit, according to a Dec. 20 email sent to the town of Sandwich by a representative of the Corps.
In 1931, the Sandwich Boardwalk project was authorized as a bridge under the Rivers and Harbors Act. In 1967, the bridge program was transferred over to the Coast Guard, according to the email. The Corps still retains some responsibility, such as the placement of temporary matting for equipment access.
Finding out that the Coast Guard is the agency that will oversee the main permitting process was a pleasant surprise, said Harper. The Corps was originally expected to approve the permit application by November.
“For the town, it’s not a significant change, from one regulatory board to another,” said Harper. She noted, however, that the Coast Guard may be able to move at a faster pace with permitting.
The replacement boardwalk was budgeted at $3 million in November 2021.
What is the history of the Sandwich Boardwalk?
Reconstruction of the Sandwich Boardwalk was approved at a town meeting in 2018.
Much of the boardwalk had reached the end of its useful life, which prompted the town to initiate an overhaul. The Sandwich Historic District Committee approved a design for a replacement in July 2021 after two years of lengthy debate by residents and officials.
However, much of the existing structure was destroyed during a blizzard in January 2022.
About 225 feet of the boardwalk was ripped off during the storm, including hundreds of planks on which residents had engraved their names. After a couple of residents found the pieces of boardwalk in a nearby marsh, the town retrieved the pieces and a group of volunteers worked to return the planks to their rightful owners.
Some residents, as well as the Friends of Sandwich Boardwalk, an advocacy group for historic preservation, hoped that repairs could be made to the existing boardwalk after the storm. The town instead opted to close the damaged boardwalk and focus on using money for the replacement.
At a town meeting in November, voters decided to indefinitely postpone funding for the reconstruction to wait until receiving a federal permit.
The new design for the boardwalk is intended to retain its historical significance while also being resilient to climate change and accessible for people with disabilities, according to a presentation by the town. The proposed reconstruction includes a six-foot-wide boardwalk, wooden railings 42 inches in height, and deck elevation of 10.5 feet, with a 12-foot elevation at Mill Creek bridge. The new boardwalk will also have a plank engraving program, a wider platform with a ladder at Mill Creek, and beach access. The railings will be a timber/mesh combination.
The Coast Guard is currently reviewing the proposed project, said Harper.
Contact Asad Jung at ajung@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @asadjungcct
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Sandwich officials receive email that could quicken boardwalk rebuild
