Work to turn the Mill Beach access in Brookings into a formal destination for beachcombing and
picnicking, is scheduled to begin the week of July 8. Mill Beach access is located at the end of
Macklyn Cove Drive, which extends from Mill Beach Road to the beach.
“This has been a commonly used beach access for local residents and visitors alike, for many decades and the City of Brookings is now improving the access to promote greater public use,” said Mayor Ron Hedenskog. “For me,” Hedenskog added, “this is the fulfillment of a 40-year dream.”
Improvements will include paving the existing gravel roadway to a width of 14 feet, paving the parking
area, and installing a restroom and picnic tables. All facilities are designed to ADA accessible
standards and the paved surface will facilitate safer travel to the beach by pedestrians and bicyclists.
Shortly after acquiring the property, the City improved the roadway’s gravel surface which had
previously been limited to use by four-wheelers and adventurous hikers. These improvements consisted of grading the road to make it usable by a wider range of vehicles and safer for pedestrians. The access has already seen increased public use since these limited improvements were implemented.
The total cost of the project is expected to be $100,000. The City secured $38,000 in state grant
funding for the project with the balance of funding to be paid from System Development Charge (SDC) fees paid by new development.
Questions may be directed to the project manager, Parks and Technical Services Supervisor Tony
Baron, at (541) 469-1159.