The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has started another contract for repairs resulting from last year's Hurricane Sandy. The new project, representing a $1.4 million investment, is currently under way and covers seven areas in Westerly, Tiverton and Narragansett.
"With this new contract, we are focusing on municipal roadways and their supporting structures with a goal of preventing further damage from age or the elements," said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis.
This week, RIDOT crews are mobilizing in Westerly on Winnapaug Road, Atlantic Avenue, and Wawaloam Drive. Repairs to about 1,700 feet of Winnapaug Road, which stretches from Atlantic Avenue to Second Street, will include a new pavement surface and minor drainage improvements. Approximately 13,500 feet of Atlantic Avenue will be repaired through this contract. Along with clearing any remaining debris, work will include minor drainage repairs and installing a new pavement surface. RIDOT also will update the safety infrastructure by installing a new guardrail just north of Misquamicut State Beach, and will repair a drainage outlet on Wawaloam Drive, off of Atlantic Avenue. These repairs are slated for completion by mid-May.
The next stop for RIDOT's Hurricane Sandy repairs will be Tiverton, where the Department will focus on repairs to the seawall located on Riverside Drive, just south of the Sakonnet River Bridge. Beginning today, through mid-June, the Department will remove and dispose of the existing stone retaining wall, rebuild a new stone masonry wall and add a new sidewalk.
Presently scheduled for Monday, April 1, the final stop for these new repairs will be Narragansett. RIDOT will place large stones in front of the seawall on Ocean Road to protect it from future storm damage. RIDOT also will repair about 700 feet of Bonnet Point Road, near Bonnet Shores Beach Club, which has been closed for over a month by the Town of Narragansett. While in Narragansett, the Department also will repair another seawall along Colonel John Gardner Road, which is located off of Bonnet Shores Road. RIDOT anticipates this portion of the project to be completed by mid-May.
As this contract progresses, RIDOT will announce any construction-related lane or road closures in advance. Schedules are weather-permitting.
Those with questions can contact RIDOT's Customer Service office at 401-222-2450 weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additional information may be available on RIDOT's social media sites on Twitter, and Facebook.
Contact: Heidi Gudmundson (401) 222-1362, Ext. 4009