Outreach Projects
Building a Resilient Newport
Spring 2016
Students in the senior design studio worked on an Easton Beach project in Newport, RI. This studio addressed the Easton Pond Reservoir, off RI Route 138A and Easton Beach. The students investigated storm water flow and drainage that contaminates the water source into Easton Pond and often creates closure of Easton Beach. They also looked at the dike at the south end which is potentially vulnerable to being eroded and breached by storm surge and sea level rise.
This project provided design alternatives to minimize the problems using green infrastructure for filtration, roadway redesign and philosophy of complete streets. This was a complex problem due to the vulnerability of the dike, the major roadway and the entrance to the historic cliff walk.