Rhode Island Asks Mass. Residents Not To Come To Its Beaches
NARRAGANSETT (CBS/AP) -- Rhode Island is cracking down on crowding and illegal parking at the state's beaches and asking residents from Massachusetts and Connecticut not to come for day trips to the shore amid the hot weather.
"We are basically saying to folks ... ordinarily (we) would love to have you come visit our beaches, but with COVID-19 and with crowding, it is just not a good idea," said Mike Healey of the Rhode Island Department of Emergency Management.
South Kingstown has increased parking fines to $150 dollars and Narragansett and Westerly also boosted fines to $75 dollars for parking in a tow or no-parking zone, WPRI-TV reported.
Vehicle capacity at Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly and Scarborough State Beach in Narragansett has been reduced to 25%.
"If you can't get into the parking lot you really just can't get onto the beach," South Kingstown Town Manager Rob Zarnetske said.
Last month, Rhode Island had a nearly 80% increase in the number of visitors to the state beaches compared with June 2019, official said.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
