Trash Piles Up at New Providence Pedestrian Bridge — Maintenance Fails Immediately
GoLocalProv News Team
Trash Piles Up at New Providence Pedestrian Bridge — Maintenance Fails Immediately
Just three days after a VIP-laden ribbon-cutting ceremony, trash is piling up at the Providence Pedestrian Bridge.
There appears to be no plan for trash removal and ongoing maintenance by state or city officials.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe ceremony featured Governor Gina Raimondo, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, U.S. Congressman avid Cicilline and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza.
The new $21.9 million bridge was initially priced to cost $3 million — the bridge was six years late.
Now, questions emerge over the ongoing maintenance of the bridge.
A GoLocal story last week unveiled that the new bridge is to be turned over to the City of Providence for maintenance and repair.
Presently, the City of Providence is also in control of Waterplace Park. Areas of Waterplace are falling into severe disrepair.
The Providence City Council approved the plan in a resolution in 2011.
The agreement also outlined that the total cost was expected to be $6 million and that any overruns would be paid by the city.
The project was completed six years late and approximately 700 percent over initial budget will be maintained by the city going forward.
Now, Mayor Jorge Elorza will be in charge of maintaining the gleaming new bridge.
“WHEREAS upon completion of the Project, the State will transfer ownership of the Project to the City, and the City will be responsible for the ownership and maintenance of the completed Project including the bridge superstructure, substructure, railing, architectural features, and all other associated amenities...”
7 Things to Know About the Providence Pedestrian Bridge - August 2019
First Deadline and Cost
When announced by then-Providence Mayor David Cicilline and RI DOT Director Michael Lewis, the Providence pedestrian bridge was scheduled to open in 2013.
The bridge was estimated to cost approximately $3 million. Over time, the scope of the project has been reduced and yet the cost of the pedestrian bridge has doubled, tripled and then some.
By 2011, the total project cost was estimated to be $5.5 million according to Providence and RIDOT presentations.
Global Interest
In 2010, when the project was announced, firms from as far away as China and Spain expressed interest in designing the pedestrian bridge to replace where the old I-195 bridge had been in Providence.
The bridge connects residents of the Fox Point and College Hill neighborhoods to the Knowledge District and downtown.
The city’s design competition received responses from 47 firms. A dozen were local firms while others are based in Spain, France, England, and China. “The fact that the Pedestrian Bridge Design Competition has generated so much interest from a variety of architectural firms bodes well for this project,” said Mayor David Cicilline.
The Pedestrian Bridge Design Committee then selected 10 finalists to submit bridge designs and displayed them in City Hall.
Cost Increase Under Raimondo
Now, under Governor Gina Raimondo’s administration, the cost has continued to spiral and is expected to be $21.9 million or more for a final cost.
In just the past two years -- the estimated cost by RIDOT to the now trending project cost has jumped over 68 percent -- from $13 million to $21.9 million.
According to Charles St. Martin of the RI Department of Transportation:
Total cost: $21.9 million. This amount has not changed since construction began
Leading vendors: Our construction contract is with Daniel O’Connell’s Sons for this project
Amount paid to vendors: The construction contract is $16.9M; paid to date is $15.5M
Will Time Heal
Former 195 District Executive Director Peter McNally told GoLocal that he believed the benefits of the bridge in the long-term will outweigh the frustrations about the delays and the costs.
“The bridge will be something that everyone enjoys. It can't be overestimated how much it will add (to the state) and it will connect College Hill and the Jewelry District,” said McNally.
Connecting the New Providence
While some have criticized the cost, timeline, and need for the new pedestrian bridge, it will connect an emerging city that did not exist in 2010.
Wexford folks can walk over to the new Plant City restaurant and food court. Brown Medical School is now more easily connected to Brown's main campus and so on and so on.
In June, Matthew Kenney -- one of the biggest names in vegan cuisine in America -- opened his food hall in Providence. He has opened 17 restaurants across the world and has 15 more set to open, but Plant City is his first food hall. “Plant City will seamlessly integrate our restaurant concepts into a collective format under one roof,” Kenney told GoLocal, “You could say it’s a reinterpretation of food halls like Eataly – but founded on our highly-refined approach to plant-based cuisine.”
Walkability - and Gathering
The new pedestrian bridge will be an enhancement to Providence's walkability -- it will create a destination and add a new route to walkers wanting to connect to Fox Point, the Jewelry District, the East Side, and even Downtown.
Moreover, it will provide spaces for people to sit - and gather. Providence photographer Justin Case got a sneak preview back in April in photos showcased in GoLocal here.
Opening - LIVE COVERAGE
Friday morning the new Providence Pedestrian Bridge will be officially opened and dedicated by Governor Gina Raimondo and other federal and state officials.
GoLocal will be covering the unveiling LIVE -- watch on GoLocalProv.com or on GoLocal's Facebook page.
