PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A project to replace a deteriorating Rhode Island highway interchange in Providence is moving forward after city and state officials announced a compromise plan Thursday.
Seven of the nine bridges that make up the interchange of Routes 6 and 10 have been declared structurally deficient. Officials have agreed on the urgent need to fix them, but they’ve disagreed over how and whether to repair or replace them.
Earlier plans from the state Department of Transportation drew criticism from residents and some city officials. Some residents wanted to completely replace the highways with a street-level boulevard that would restore some semblance of community since mid-20th century planners carved a bypass through neighborhoods. And a city transportation plan that called for an elevated rotary, or halo, also met with criticism.
On Thursday, Gov. Gina Raimondo and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, both Democrats, announced a compromise plan that blends ideas from both the city and state. Elorza said the $400 million project will improve traffic flow through the area while also better connecting neighborhoods. The city plan calling for a halo has been dropped.
The compromise plan would add a direct connection from Route 10 northbound to Route 6 westbound. It also would have 1.4 miles of new bike paths for pedestrians and bicyclists traveling between Olneyville and the West End over Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor railroad tracks.
Under the compromise, half of today’s Huntington Viaduct would be demolished and replaced with surface roads, and an onramp from Plainfield Street would be eliminated. Some of the altered roadways would open up land for real estate development and aesthetic changes would be made to lighting arrangements.
Officials said a contract will be advertised early next year with plans for construction to begin next fall. Funding for the project comes from the 10-year road infrastructure plan passed this year that will be partially funded through new highway truck tolls.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.