Imagine a pier reaching out into Narragansett Bay as it once did at Rocky Point, only higher and with a shelter at its end where fishermen and those simply wanting to get a view of the bay islands and the bridges beyond could find benches and a break from the hot summer sun. Or, if in the evening could take in the stars and the distant lights of Quonset Point to the south or the Providence skyline beyond Conimicut Point.

Such a pier, also providing facilities for pleasure boaters to tie up and an optional stop for a bay ferry as envisioned by Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr., could be up and operational by 2018.

That’s the plan Lisa Primiano, Department of Environmental Management Director of Planning and Development, said in an interview Friday. At this time, 60 percent of the pier design is completed. Plans are expected to be fully completed in another couple of weeks, which will be followed by the advertising for bids to do the work. Assuming DEM has the funding ($3 million has been earmarked for pier development for Rocky Point and other projects) the project could start sometime next summer.

But there’s more to the project than designs, construction and financing. Primiano said DEM would also need to reach a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the Warwick City Council, as the pier will extend from the 41 acres of Rocky Point shoreline owned by the city.

Construction of a pier also raises issues of access and parking. David Picozzi, director of the city department of public works and chief of staff, has attended pier-planning meetings and is excited about the project. The tentative plan is to use a portion of an existing shoreline road that is not accessible to public use at this time as drop off to the pier. The road extends from the former Palladium/Windjammer parking lot that the DEM has leveled and will soon define with guardrails. The pier access may also include some handicapped parking and a circle for those wanting to make drop-offs.

Having seen storms hit Rocky Point, Picozzi pressed during pier design meetings to have it elevated from its former height.

“We want to keep it out of the storms,” he said.

Pier construction would require removal of what remains of the former structure and basically a structure of about the length of its predecessor in the same location. Primiano said a 20-foot wide pier would extend for 140 feet, at which point it would narrow to 10 feet for another 120 feet. At its end there would be a 110-foot cross section forming a T. The 36-foot wide shelter with bench and possibly solar power lighting would be at that juncture. There would be four floating docks on the north side of the pier where boaters could tie up while picnicking or walking in the park.

Should DOT offer bay ferry service with a stop at Rocky Point, Primiano said a barge could be brought alongside the pier as was done at India Point Park to create a boarding platform when Providence to Newport ferry service was operated last summer.

“Everything we’re doing is to leave that option [a ferry landing] open,” said Primiano.

Asked about additional developments at Rocky Point, Primiano said she is pleased with the organic process that has evolved in park use and is not pressing for a master plan, although she is close to finalizing a request for proposals for development of a plan. She said DEM plans to have a staff member assigned to Rocky Point in the coming year. Up until this point, the city, as part of the maintenance of city park property, has handled the grounds keeping and trash collections for the state property.