Getting in and out of Plymouth’s Long Beach may be tougher over the summer. And this time it’s not about nesting plovers.
Citing “significant public safety concerns,” the town says it has assembled a vehicle corridor using Jersey barriers “at the northernmost end of the public/day parking area.” The measure was needed, it says, to ensure accessibility for first responders such as police, fire, and ambulance personnel.
In a press release, officials did not explain why access has become a concern, saying only that “emergency vehicle access and maneuverability were found to be compromised due to current parking conditions at the northernmost end of the public/day parking area.”
It said parking will still be allowed along the sea wall and Eel River sides of the dirt access road, and that the Jersey barrier corridor “will be designated as a ‘No Parking – Tow Zone.’”
“Vehicles parked in violation will be subject to a fine and towing,” the town said. “While this change may slightly reduce the overall parking capacity at Plymouth Beach, public safety remains the town’s top priority. The adjustment is a proactive step to maintain the safety and well-being of all beachgoers and ensure emergency personnel can respond without delay.”
In a follow-up email to the Independent on Friday, town communications coordinator Casey Kennedy said it’s unclear whether the corridor will reduce the number of parking spaces at the beach because it is still “actively being completed.” She did not elaborate on what specifically prompted the concerns about emergency vehicle access or what is meant by “current parking conditions.”
Kennedy said that parking attendants can answer beachgoers’ questions about where to park to avoid having their vehicles ticketed or towed.
Mark Pothier can be reached at mark@plymouthindependent.org.