Eastbayri.com

EAST PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will fund traffic details at the intersection of Roger Williams and Wilson avenues for the next several weeks following a community meeting last Wednesday.

In late December, the RIDOT announced it would be closing the Ten Mile River Bridges in Rumford, which carry traffic on North Broadway over the water. The bridges were closed on Dec. 30.

The recent community meeting offered area residents a chance to voice their concerns with the current situation and raise questions about the project. Many people were frustrated with traffic issues created by the project and its estimated date of completion.

Those on hand for the meeting, which was held at city hall, included RIDOT representatives, East Providence Public Works Director Steven Coutu, city engineer Erik Skadberg and a group of East Providence police officers. The event was organized by East Providence City Councilor Kate Kleyla, who represents Ward I. About 30 members of the public turned out as well.

Ms. Kleyla said she thought the evening was beneficial for all those involved. Not only were residents able to let their opinions be heard, Ms. Kleyla said, officials were able to get a first-hand account of the closures’ impact.

“I don’t think the DOT realized how much of an inconvenience and how much of a change this was for people,” said Ms. Kleyla.

Frank Corrao, RIDOT’s Deputy Chief Engineer, said concerns raised about the project centered on three areas. Among this list, Mr. Corrao said, was a complaint that the detour of traffic from North Broadway was creating congestion on residential roads, such as Wilson Avenue.

To help alleviate the situation, at least temporarily, Mr. Corrao said RIDOT is funding police details to direct traffic during peak commuter hours in the morning and afternoon. Mr. Corrao said the RIDOT will fund these details for about a month and then examine what effect has been made on traffic patterns.

Another issue regarding the situation dates back even further than December. In July, RIDOT placed a weight limit on the bridge that subsequently re-routed commercial vehicles onto roads such as Roger Williams Avenue. Mr. Corrao said the RIDOT will try to address residents concern with this pattern by posting signs that offer these vehicles alternative routes.

Mr. Corrao said these signs were expected to be posted before the end of the month.

The third major issue to come out of the meeting regards the project’s estimated length. When it was first announced the bridges would be closed, it was estimated it would be another two years before they are re-opened. Mr. Corrao said RIDOT is working with the project’s contractor to see if this is a timeline that can be reduced or amended, though these discussions were still preliminary at the time of this report.

The East Providence Police Department has also been keeping an eye on the situation.

Prior to its meeting earlier this month, the East Providence City Council was given a status report assembled by Capt. Christopher J. Parella detailing a plan on how the area’s flow of traffic was being monitored.

According to this report, 338 fines totaling $29,985 were issued in the month following the bridge closures.

Though statistics were not available on how these recent numbers stack up with those of a normal month, Police Chief Joseph Tavares said they do represent a “significant increase.”

According to Capt. Parella’s report, the fines have come without the expenditure of any “supplemental funds.” This has been accomplished, reads the report, by utilizing on-duty personnel as well as assigning Traffic Unit, Community Policing and Radar Detail personnel to selected points throughout areas near the bridge. These efforts have been monitored by supervisory officers who ensure that minimum established man-hours are met daily.

“Since implementation of this plan, the calls and concerns have been reduced to a low and acceptable rate,” reads the report. It continues that it should also be noted, however, that while this large presence has been effective it is a “huge” amount of daily man-hours and it is anticipated that as months go on the man-hours will systemically decrease to more long-term sustainable levels.

Chief Tavares said the police department’s goal isn’t to issue tickets but sometimes, that is all some drivers understand. Chief Tavares said the hope is that the police department can pull back its presence at some point but will continue to monitor the situation and any complaints that come in from local residents.

As for the possibility of a follow-up meeting, Ms. Kleyla said the plan is to see how the situation develops in the coming weeks. Mr. Corrao said residents with concerns or questions can contact resident engineer Tony Mawad in the project’s field office at 434-5090. The office is located at 7 Central St.

Hundreds fined

A status report compiled by the East Providence Police Department showed that officers issued 338 fines totaling $29,985 in the month following the bridge closures. The violations issued through the end of January, by road, are as follows:

• Bourne Avenue: 3 violations. $480 in fines.

• Centre Street: 55 violations. $4,965 in fines.

• Elm Avenue: 31 violations. $2,420 in fines.

• Greenwood Avenue: 16 violations. $1,325 in fines.

• Newman Avenue: 4 violations. $255 in fines.

• North Broadway: 25 violations. $2,560 in fines.

• Roger Williams Avenue: 133 violations. $11,895 in fines.

• Wilson Avenue: 71 violations. $6,085 in fines.