narrow public bathing beach composed of sand, gravel, shingle and 

 cobblestones that occtir in varjdng proportions as material is shifted 

 back and forth by vfave action » Access to Winthrop Shore Drive is 

 afforded by several city streets, and excellent highways connect it 

 with the Boston Metropolitan areac 



The problem ar«a involves that section of the shore protected by 

 granite faced sea wall originally constnicted by the Metropolitan 

 District Commission in 1899 between Beach Road on the north and Bacon 

 Street on the south, a distance of about 7,200 feeto Subsequent 

 storms damaged the wall, particularly the severe storm of November 

 194-5 o In 1946 the Commission commenced reconstruction of a section 

 of the wall 1,425 feet long immediately south of Locust Street by 

 adding a massive reinforced concrete face on the ocean side,, This 

 15425-foot section between Locust and Trident Avenues affords sub- 

 stantial protection for the Shore Drive and residences landward 

 thereof o In 1931-1933 the Commonwealth constructed an off-shore 

 breakwater in 5 detached sections roughly between Pearl Avenue on the 

 north and Perkins Street on the south, a distance of about 2,250 feet. 

 This breakwater has afforded considerable protection, particularly for 

 the section of beach and sea wall abreast thereof o 



The purpose of the Beach Erosion Board's study was to determine 

 the best metiiod of preventing further erosion, stabilizing and im- 

 proving the beach, and protecting the sea wallo The Board has re- 

 viewed the history of the existir^ protective structures, and has 

 investigated the geology of the area, the composition of the beach, 

 storms and their effects, changes in shore lines and profiles, 

 volumetric changes in the beach, offshore depth changes, currents, 

 and littoral drift and several plans of improvement o It found that 

 the existing Winthrop Shore Drive sea wall provides adeqiiate pro- 

 tection to the developed area behind it, with the exception of 

 sections aggregating 2j,200 feet in lengtho The Bsard concluded that 

 the best plan for preventing further erosion, stabilizing and im- 

 proving the beach, and protecting the sea wall comprises extension 

 of reconstruction of the existing sea wall, raising the top elevation 

 of portions of the existing sea wall, construction of groins and 

 artificial supply of sand to the beacho The estimated first cost 

 of this plan of protection and improvement is $648, 000 o ^sed upon 

 a comparison of estimated annual costs and estimated annual benefits, 

 the Board concluded that the proposed improvement is economically 

 feasibleo 



Bie Board reported that the shore is publicly-owned and that, 

 in its opinion, the public interest involved in the proposed im- 

 provement is substantial o The extent of public interest and the 

 public benefits which will result were considered by the Board to 

 be sufficient to justify, in accordance vrlth the general provisions 

 of Public Law 727, 79th Congress, approved August 13, 194-6, the 

 United States bearing a share of the expense equal to one-third of 

 the first cost of the proposed improvemento 



A proviso of Public Law 727 relates to repair and protection of 

 sea walls hitherto erected to prevent erosion, by waves and currents, 



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