Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Existing Conditions | Page 141

9 Open Space & Recreation

Connectivity
Walking and Cycling Connectivity
Newport is characterized by a number of unique connective
spaces, including tree-lined boulevards like Bellevue Avenue
and the dramatic waterside Cliff Walk. However, many key
pedestrian and bicycle connections have not yet been
formalized. Improvements to the Harbor Walk to make it
continuous and accessible to all would offer a huge amenity
to the city. Today, the Harbor Walk lacks the “critical mass”
of connected segments to fulfill its potential role in Newport.

The North End subarea has
some connectivity challenges.
There are no dedicated
bicycling lanes with low
amounts of green space in the
neighborhood. Further, not all
residents are within walking
distance of a park. Source:
Sasaki and Associates

There are dedicated or shared bike lanes on only a few
streets including Memorial Boulevard and a portion of
American’s Cup Ave, but there is the need for many more, safe bicycle connections to build a more robust network.
Sidewalk conditions are challenging to pedestrians in some locations and can also be improved.

Land and Water Connectivity
As Olmsted noted in his early plan, the visual and physical connections between water and land are an important part
of Newport’s identity. Open spaces, parks and walkways play an important role in connecting Newport to the water,
offering scenic views, public waterside access, and opportunities for active uses such as swimming, fishing, boating,
and more. Not all of Newport is equally served by waterfront public spaces; the North End neighborhoods have a
notable lack of water connection and access compared to other parts of the city.

Green Space
Aquidneck Island Ecology
Aquidneck Island has a large amount of open space, including
forests, wetlands, parks, cemeteries, agricultural land, vacant
land, and other types. Overall, 56% of Aquidneck Island is
open space (a total of 13,623 acres). However, much of this
open space remains susceptible to development; only 20% of
Aquidneck Island is protected open space.

According to the Newport
Open Space Partnership
prepared by Sasaki and
Associates, improving the
ecological function of
Newport’s open space system,
green corridors connecting
open spaces and multifunctional open spaces are
essential.

Open Space Patterns
When examining the network of trees, parks and open
spaces in the City of Newport, the downtown core of the City
is more densely developed with patches of small parks and
street trees, while the southern areas have a greater amount
of contiguous open space and diversity of landscape types. The Northern part of the City has fewer dispersed open
spaces to serve the community. The City faces challenges of invasive species that limit habitat value, aging trees that
will need a succession plan, and narrow, urban streets that limit opportunities for vegetation.

Draft Existing Conditions (March 2016)

Page 9-17