Beachgoers planning a day of swimming at Rockaway Beach this summer should be aware of a major seasonal disruption during peak summer months. The $336 million Atlantic Shorefront Resiliency Project will significantly impact the beach, requiring careful planning and flexibility.
One of the New York City’s–and the country’s–best beaches, Rockaway Beach is located on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. As the largest urban beach in the United States, it features NYC’s only designated surfing areas, along with a 5.5-mile boardwalk, diverse food concessions, and a vibrant, eclectic community known as the “Irish Riviera.”
However, the Atlantic Shorefront Resiliency Project, which began in 2020, is still going strong–and it’s continuing through the 2026 beach season. During this time, 10–15 blocks will be temporarily closed to all access at any given time, with closures shifting in a “rolling” fashion westward from Beach 116th Street and eastward from Beach 143rd Street.
The closure, led by NYC Parks and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), is necessary to address decades of severe erosion and flooding from coastal storms, which has been exacerbated by climate change. The project covers over six miles of beach, and consists of:
- 14 new stone groin structures, which reduce beach erosion
- The rehabilitation of five existing groins
- The construction of a reinforced dune system
- Sand renourishment on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Rockaway Peninsula
Despite the inconvenience, approximately 60–70+ blocks will remain open to swimming, shifting as work progresses. Even more, the entire Rockaway boardwalk will remain open.
If you’re visiting Rockaway Beach this summer, plan ahead, check conditions regularly, and be ready with a Plan B to make the most of your coastal adventure. Be sure to look out for red-flagged areas, in which beachgoers are not permitted to swim.
And don’t forget, NYC’s ever popular Rockaway Rocket and Rockaway Reserve will return again this season, making getting to the beach a breeze! Though the 2026 summer schedule has not yet been announced, it’ll likely be in full swing beginning Memorial Day weekend.