Today, the City of Newport announced that a portion of the southern end of Newport’s idyllic Cliff Walk has been closed for repairs.
According to the city, the decision was made out of an abundance of caution following the discovery of a sinkhole first reported by a community member through the City’s 311 ReportIt! Newport app.
The roughly ¼ mile-long closure, which extends from the tunnel due east of Clarendon Court to the stairs leading to the Miramar sidewalk, is part of the Cliff Walk’s more rugged southern section.
The area of concern centers on part of a raised walkway stretching from Clarendon Court to Miramar, both private estates. Upon surveying the sinkhole, City engineers noticed the Cliff Walk concrete path behind Miramar had settled approximately 1 inch and had visible cracking. While investigating the cause of the sinkholes, engineers also observed deteriorated and exposed seawall footings.
The remainder of the trail, which traverses past landmarks such as Rough Point and Lands End, is accessible to hikers at entrances at either Ledge Road or Bailey’s Beach East.
Due to the location, signage will be placed at Marine Avenue and Ledge Road to alert hikers to the closure.
The City says it will share more details about the extent of the repairs and the closure duration as more information becomes available.
