Upgrades Expected To Streamline Parking At RI State Beaches

NARRAGANSETT, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management hopes parking will be more streamlined at the state's beaches this summer, thanks to a new system. LAZ Parking, the company behind the Providence Place Mall and The City of Newport's parking systems, will handle operations at the eight state surf beaches beginning in May.

The new system builds on the changes implemented in 2019, when the department sold beach passes online for the first time.

As part of the agreement with the DEM, LAZ agreed to make large up-front investments in paring infrastructure, including installing express-lane technology at some beaches that scans license plates for prepaid customers, the ability to provide the department with real-time data about parking lot capacity and more. Customers will have the ability to buy both season and day passes online, in advance.

"The goal of this new contract is enhanced services to the more than one million Rhode Islanders and out-of-staters who enjoy our world-class beaches each year," DEM Director Janet Coit said. "What LAZ Parking promises to deliver starting in the 2020 beach season, however, is a great leap ahead in terms of improving traffic flow, improving the customer experience, and maximizing beach parking revenue. We will be monitoring the delivery and results closely, and we look forward to working collaboratively with LAZ Parking to deliver for Rhode Island."

According to Coit, the partnership with LAZ parking lines up with Governor Gina Raimondo's Park Initiative, investing and revitalizing the state's public spaces. The initiative includes a $64 million bond in the state's 2021 budget to invest in clean water, drinking water, climate resilience projects and a modernization of the state's parks, beaches, campgrounds, bike paths and more.

"Rhode Island is the No. 1 state in the country in visitors per acre of state parks and beaches," Coit continued. "However, we still rank 46th in state spending per visit, according to the National Association of State Park Directors. While we work to improve the long-term sustainability of our State Parks, choosing LAZ Parking as our vendor is about improving the experience of visitors today."

In all, the department received eight proposals for the parking project. Four were disqualified because they did not meet the requirements, while the other half were reviewed by a panel of DEM staff and administrators.

At the beginning of the three-year contract, LAZ will invest more than $580,000 and will receive an annual flat fee of $872,536 this year, $989,531 next year and $925,826 in 2022. The company will also collect 35 cents per vehicle transaction fee for thos who park during normal business hours.

Admission prices will remain the same for the 2020 season. Rates are as follows:

• Season Pass
  • Residents: $30
  • Non-residents: $60
• Day Pass (weekday)
  • Residents: $6
  • Non-residents: $12
• Day Pass (weekend)
  • Residents: $7
  • Non-residents: $14

Fees are slightly decreased for seniors, and only apply to people who are parking in lots. There is no fee to bike or walk to a state beach.