Warren Town Council ponders what to do when bridge is no longer 'broken'

Responds to letter from Planning Chair Massie; discusses Market Street woes, downtown parking problems

By Mike Rego
Posted 12/13/24

At its December 10 forum, the Warren Town Council took up a handful of items submitted by Town Planning Board Chairman Fred Massie pertaining to the need to connect the new "Broken Bridge" extension …

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Warren Town Council ponders what to do when bridge is no longer 'broken'

Responds to letter from Planning Chair Massie; discusses Market Street woes, downtown parking problems

Posted

At its December 10 forum, the Warren Town Council took up a handful of items submitted by Town Planning Board Chairman Fred Massie pertaining to the need to connect the new "Broken Bridge" extension with the East Bay Bike Path.

At his body's meeting in late November, Massie said the west end of the span, from Long Lane to the Kickemuit River, must meet the path, which was "a very important element" to the town receiving grant money for the roughly $6 million project through the Rhode Island Department of Transportation's "Safe Routes to School" program.

Referred to on the council docket as the "New Kickemuit River Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge," Massie's correspondence was read into the record by Town Council President Joseph DePasquale. The planning chair was unable to attend the council meeting.

Massie wrote in part,"The new bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Kickemuit River — primarily funded through a Safe to Schools grant and aimed at providing a secure alternative to Child Street for students, residents and visitors to travel between the Eastern and Western sections of Warren — is nearing completion. In the interest of public safety, we need to create a designated — if only initially temporary — route from the bridge’s Western side to the East Bay Bike Path before the bridge is opened to the public."

Massie's suggestions to come up with a solution included the possible formation of a planning board subcommittee. Massie's grouping would include representatives from the board along with the respective fire and police department chiefs, the town manager, director of public works and members of the council.

Councilor John Hanley said what Massie was describing was nearly identical to the existing town traffic commission as well as the technical review subgroup of the planning board.

He said there was no need to create a new body for the issue, rather suggesting members of the Planning Board should join in on any discussions when the subject is broached by existing authorities.

Councilor Keri Cronin referred to a July meeting with representatives from Rhode Island Department of Transportation, recollecting the "huge issue" then was finding a way to safely get cyclists and pedestrians from Metacom Avenue.

"We can go over it (Metacom). We can go under it. Or we can go across it," Cronin said. "I think over and under are probably not options, so I think it's going to be how to address that four-way signal there."

Of RIDOT's part in finding a solution, Cronin added, "This is on them. This is their bike path. They're going to have to develop a plan to get pedestrians and cyclists safely across Metacom Avenue and down Franklin Street."

Both Cronin and Hanley also wondered if the solution might somehow need to involve a connector at Libby Lane.

DePasquale said, no pun intended, that route might create "muddy waters" because of right-of-way issues with neighbors.

DePasquale, terming them "historical fact," provided a brief recap of events. He said, "It's the 'Warren' bike path. They gave it to us, forced it on us. It's 'Warren' bridge. They paid for it, built it and forced it to us."

DePasquale called it a conundrum 23 years in the making, adding, though, unfortunately at the moment the town does not have the financial resources to complete the effort alone.

The new body president, voted into the role by his peers earlier in the same gathering, told Warren City Manager Brian Sullivan and Town Solicitor Anthony DeSisto to fully flesh out the matter.

DePasquale asked Sullivan to research all aspects of the situation and to petition the town's General Assembly delegation and the state's federal elected officials to find the means to fully fund the project.

"We've just got to figure out how we get this bridge to the road," DePasquale concluded.

Market Street improvements
DePasquale led a discussion on the continued need to upgrade the design and function of Market Street/Route 136, which remains in desperate need of repair to address ever pressing environmental concerns.

DePasquale said it's been a proposal made by the town to the state for some 25 years. He noted the new flood gates project the council approved at a recent meeting is likely unable to move forward because of existing corrosion issues created by the flooding woes.

DePasquale reminded the audience the location is one of the three major points of ingress and egress to the town, but that the key evacuation route at high tide is "currently under water all the time."

"I felt like we needed to start pounding on the door," DePasquale added. "I've been here too long. I know when nothing happens it's because nothing is happening...We need to figure something out."

Traffic issues
The council took no firm actions on a pair of traffic-related items presented by Cronin, including one to address parking issues on the cloistered side roads on the west side of Main Street.

Cronin, who lives in the area and is well aware of the confines, asked if the situation would be aided by defined spaces being painted at several locations on Union Street between Liberty Street and Miller Street, Narragansett Way, and Baker Street and also to consider Church Street, State Street and Washington Street.

Brian Wheeler, Director of Public Works, said his department could do so, but would need a new painting machine, estimated to cost approximately $7,000. Said Wheeler, the existing machine old and can't handle the work load.

The other topic Cronin raised was the potential of turning Union Street between Miller Street and Liberty Street into a one-way going south and Company Street one-way going east. The councilor noted the roads are narrow and difficult to maneuver.

At the suggestion of DePasquale, it was decided members of the council, Wheeler as well as the police and fire departments should do a more detailed evaluation of the matter before making any decisions on either matter.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.