Scott J. Croteau | MassLive.com | April 2, 2020
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued an emergency order Thursday requiring all coastal beach reservation parking areas managed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to close.
The order said all of those locations will close by 12 p.m. on Friday, April 3. The measure was put in place to reduce large crowds of people at beaches during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Coastal parkways that provide access to state beaches will also be closed to both parking and dropping off passengers,” Baker’s office said. “State beaches will remain open and available to pedestrians for transitory use only – walking, jogging, biking, solitary fishing, etc.”
Parking restrictions can be found here.
The state will open select seasonal state parks early and expand access at other parks to provide more open space for residents. The charges will take place April 3, Friday, at 12 p.m.
The parks that will open early are: Willard Brook State Forest in Townsend; Dunn State Park
In Gardner; Ashland State Park in Ashland; Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield; and Rutland State Park in Rutland.
The extended opening parks are: Hopkinton State Park in Hopkinton; Cochituate State Park in Natick; Wompatuck State Park in Hingham; and Robinson State Park in Agawam.
State parks and associated parking areas remain open at this time, but the public is asked to visit state parks and other open space properties that are located near their homes to ensure social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19.
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