Newport cliff walk restoration

The Federal Highway Administration awarded $23 million to the City of Newport on August 21, 2026, under the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) program (CFDA 20.284) to stabilize eroding bluff faces and restore the Newport Cliff Walk.

The Newport Cliff Walk, a major Rhode Island tourist attraction, suffered two structural collapses within a 0.1-mile section in March and December 2022 following erosive wave action along the bluff face. The project will stabilize the cliff face, repair the walkway, and restore pedestrian access along the coastline. Work will be performed in Rhode Island with a period of performance extending from the award date through December 31, 2029. The PROTECT program supports surface transportation resilience improvements in response to natural hazards including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, and extreme weather events.

Project description

The newport cliff walk, one of the post popular tourist attractions in the state of rhode island (RI), suffered two collapses within a 0.1-mile section in march and december of 2022. Both collapse events were a result of erosive environmental wave action forces acting along the face of the bluff. The city of newport seeks to stabilize the cliff face and repair the walkway, restoring pedestrian access along the coastline.