First Contamination, Now Graffiti - $410 Million RIDOT 6/10 Project Defaced in Providence
GoLocalProv News Team
First Contamination, Now Graffiti - $410 Million RIDOT 6/10 Project Defaced in Providence
Ultimately, the Department of Justice took action, and the lead contractor on the project, Barletta Heavy Machine, agreed to a $1.5 million payment as part of a non-prosecution agreement. Barletta is now facing felony charges at the state level. That case has been pending since January of 2023.
Now, graffiti has marred the project in Providence - and former City Councilman Michael Correa took notice.
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"Earlier this afternoon I traveled the new 6/10 connector to Coventry," wrote Correia last weekend. "Then back to Providence taking the Broadway exit. I was horrified all the graffiti on this newly built expressway the walls, iron beams, fencing and jersey barriers. Where’s DOT? Let’s clean up this eyesore."
DOT said that currently, the contractor is responsible for removing the defacement.
"RIDOT is aware of this graffiti, and it will all be removed by the contractor over the next few months as part of the project’s punch list process," said RIDOT spokesperson Charles St. Martin.
"After that, the 6/10 interchange will become part of RIDOT’s statewide graffiti cleanup efforts, done by our Highway and Bridge Maintenance Division. This interchange has historically been targeted for graffiti even prior to the construction. During the project, RIDOT’s contractor continuously cleaned up areas that were tagged and RIDOT worked with the Providence Police to try and identify those who tagged it (and two individuals were arrested)," said Martin.
According to St. Martin, "annual graffiti clean-up costs statewide vary year to year based on the level of graffiti that’s applied."
"Last year, the cost was approximately $75,000," said St. Martin.
