City beaches may now be open for the summer, but some parts of Rockaway Beach will stay closed due to construction.

“I see construction everywhere. That’s all I can see,” said Bhim Thakur, who has been coming to Rockaway Beach for years.

What You Need To Know

  • Just like last year, Rockaway residents and visitors will have to contend with some closures at Rockaway Beach this summer
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is continuing to work on its Atlantic Shorefront Resiliency Project
  • Throughout the summer, there are going to be rolling closures between Beach 116th Street and Beach 143rd Street as the construction is completed
  • Like all city beaches, Rockaway Beach is open for swimming every single day when lifeguards are present from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Just like last year, Rockaway residents and visitors will have to deal with some closures at the beloved beach this summer.

Around 20 blocks of Rockaway Beach are closed this Memorial Day weekend, which some community members say has created some confusion.

“Generally, people take the A train to the shuttle, which leaves them off at [Beach 116th Street] and they come down. Those access points are not open for a while,” said Kim Maher, who was a lifeguard at Rockaway Beach for almost two decades.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is continuing to work on the Atlantic Shorefront Resiliency Project. The goal of the $300 million project is to modernize the beach to withstand coastal flooding and climate change.

The city Department of Parks and Recreation says it will close about a dozen blocks at a time for the project.

Throughout the entire summer, there are going to be rolling closures between Beach 116th Street and Beach 143rd Street as the construction work is completed.

During that time, certain portions of the beach will be accessible to visitors, while other stretches will be closed for work.

“It is frustrating because it’s almost like they waited until the end of the summer to get this underway and complete the project,” Maher said.

More and more portions of the beach are set to be accessible as the summer goes on. And the entire boardwalk is open.

However, some community members are concerned about the economic impact local businesses may face this summer.

“It makes the community feel bad because the people rely on the beach for business. There’s vendors who walk on the beach and they can’t sell anything or do anything. It’s very frustrating,” said Gerry Allen, an 86-year-old longtime Rockaway resident.

Sections of the beaches at Jacob Riis Park are also closed. The National Park Service says the conditions at the Queens beach are extremely hazardous because of soil erosion.