Boat launch replacement at Joemma State Park limits visitor access

Construction to replace the boat launch at Joemma Beach State Park will affect visitor access to the park this summer.

The replacement of the existing boat ramp is necessary because of its deteriorating state, including several holes and areas of exposed rebar. The new ramp will consist of 4- by 12-foot concrete planking, and will provide a smoother and safer ramp for boaters along with a smaller footprint on the beach.

During the replacement project, much of the park will be closed including water trail campsites, day-use areas and the picnic shelter. Beach access will not be available. Some areas of the park are scheduled to remain open, such as the first camping loop, sites one through 12, and moorage at the dock and mooring buoys, though with restricted access to the park.

Work will begin July 28 and is expected to be completed Aug. 2.

“We realize the timing for this project is not ideal, since it’s our busiest time of year, but we are restricted to specific work windows due to permitting regulations and need low tides to do the construction work. I believe visitors will really appreciate the new boat launch for years to come,” Janet Shonk, area manager, said in a release.

If the project is completed before Aug. 2, the park will fully reopen, Shonk said.

The replacement project is on the State Parks’ deferred maintenance list and is paid for from state capital bond funds. The boat ramp replacement completes an $85,000 deferred maintenance project, which also included replacing the gangway ramp from the pier to the floats at Joemma.

Joemma Beach State Park is a 122-acre marine camping park with 3,000 feet of saltwater frontage, located in the southeast Key Peninsula.

For more information, including maps, visit www.parks.wa.gov/524/Joemma-Beach.

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 10:34 AM with the headline "Boat launch replacement at Joemma State Park limits visitor access."