Consultants refine French Street beach boardwalk design, flag permitting and ADA trade-offs

Consultants presented revised schematic designs and a permitting strategy for the French Street Beach Improvement Project during the Washington Street Collaborative Work Group’s Oct. 24 meeting, emphasizing a higher boardwalk alignment, consolidated access points and regulatory constraints that will shape final plans.

Laura (project presenter) said the schematic-design phase is on track for an end-of-year submission, with cost analysis and operations-and-maintenance guidance continuing into the next year. The design team introduced Lena Smart, “project manager and designer,” who walked members through a plan that reduces redundant beach access, raises the boardwalk above the mean high-water line and preserves a 15-foot minimum dune crest with an approximately 10:1 slope toward the water.

The revisions aim to balance resilience, permitting and future connectivity. “We’ve been building on the dune swoop and factoring in the future connection,” Laura said, adding the plan accommodates the kayak concession’s leased area and restroom access.

Design details presented by Lena Smart show two access points from Washington Street: a northern access that requires stairs because of grading constraints,…