BRISTOL — State and local officials threw the first scoops of dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning at the Mt. Hope boat launch near the bottom of Annawamscutt Road.

The lengthy odyssey to redevelop an underutilized boat ramp turned illegal garbage dump and party spot is about to see its rejuvenation come to fruition.

An array of government leaders were on hand Friday morning to celebrate the nearly $1 million undertaking to give better boating access to Mt. Hope Bay and first-time access for boaters with disabilities.

The fishing area and boat ramp, located just east of Annawamscutt Drive behind the R.I. Veterans’ Home property, will see the addition of a 60-foot-wide concrete ramp with two floating docks, a new paved road and a parking area for 49 vehicles with trailers.

Michael Sullivan, director of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM), said the boat launch had been in the planning stages for “way too many years” and advances the state’s mission to let people enjoy their sport despite physical capacities.

“It’s about access to the resource for Rhode Islanders, and it’s about access to the resource for all Rhode Islanders, whether you’re able-bodied or challenged,” Mr. Sullivan said.

The Mt. Hope boat launch will be the eighth ramp built by DEM that is accessible for people with disabilities in the state, according to Jay McGinn, supervising civil engineer.

Mr. McGinn said accessible ramps already exist in Westerly, Haines Park in Barrington, Colt State Park, Oakland Beach in Warwick and Fort Adams in Newport, and the department is working with the City of Providence to install one on the east side of the city.

The handicapped-accessible ramps differ from traditional ramps because they must accommodate an 8 1/3 percent slope for wheelchair access compared to the 12 to 15 percent slope to launch boats, Mr. McGinn said.

To achieve the necessary slopes, floating docks are placed on both sides of the ramp with a bridge connecting the side of the dock that has the lower slope. The docks are designed to move with the tides.

Work on the Mt. Hope site started in early October with the removal of trees and installation of fences, Mr. McGinn said. The dredging of a 4-foot channel to deeper waters started Monday, and a cofferdam is being installed to aid in the project.

Officials were reluctant to give an exact opening date, only saying work should be completed for the 2010 boating season.

A future access path for residents of the veterans’ home to the boat launch also have been discussed.

Funds for the $998,211 project came from the Aid and Sportfish Restoration program, a federal program funded by an excise tax on boat fuel administered by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife.

State Rep. Raymond Gallison Jr. (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth) lives less than a quarter of a mile from the boat access, driving or walking by the area almost every day.

The very first time Rep. Gallison launched his 19-foot MFG fiberglass boat was at the old ramp in 1981. It was low tide and the water wasn’t deep enough to launch, so he had to back the trailer farther down the ramp. In the process, Rep. Gallison said, he partially submerged his truck, costing him four new brakes and a new muffler. It was the last time he tried using the ramp.

Rep. Gallison said the inadequacy of the 40-year-old ramp allowed the area to become a dumping ground for many residents. Signs of trash are still visible at the site — discarded roofing shingles, a mattress and bricks.

Besides the garbage, Rep. Gallison said he receives numerous complaints about parties held at night at the Mt. Hope site. He said police have trouble getting to the scene on a regular basis because of the road condition.

“When we make it better, people will have pride in it,” Rep. Gallison said. “People will want to be here. They’ll want to maintain it.”