RIDOT completed an $8.9M road resurfacing project on Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown, RI. This effort, part of a state and federal investment, included rebuilding the road base, installing a water main, and improving pedestrian and cyclist safety with new sidewalks and bike lanes. The project aims to enhance traffic flow and support sustainable transportation options while addressing long-standing maintenance issues.
Shutterstock photo/Andrey Popov
This construction season, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) completed work on an $8.9 million project to rebuild the badly deteriorated road base on Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown, one of the community's busiest commercial corridors, and make numerous other safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Peter Alviti Jr., RIDOT's director, was joined by Middletown Town Administrator Shawn Brown and other state and local leaders Nov. 19 at a ceremony to mark the project's finish.
"Aquidneck Avenue is a perfect example of our commitment to address important roads for our communities that have not been properly maintained for decades," Alviti said. "Today we have a solidly rebuilt roadway that will serve the businesses on this road and residents and visitors who frequent them for many years to come."
Work on Aquidneck Avenue was one of the first efforts the state agency undertook with funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as part of a five-year, $500 million investment in pavement projects throughout Rhode Island.
"Aquidneck Avenue serves as a critical connector for Middletown's vibrant business community and J.H. Gaudet Middle School," said Rhode Island's U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, D-1st District. "I'm glad to see the completion of this project supported by federal and local investments to help Aquidneck Island implement critical safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists, creating a safer and more accessible environment for all road users."
What's Up Newp, a Newport, R.I. online news source, noted that the work included a road reconstruction that utilized a process called "pavement reclamation" in which the base of the street was rebuilt to provide a long-lasting repair of the driving surface.
RIDOT also coordinated with the Newport Water Department to install a water main on a portion of the roadway — with Newport and Middletown each contributing up to $267,000 for it — as part of the effort. This minimized the overall disruption to motorists with only one construction project instead of two.
"Investments from the federal, state and local levels have contributed to bringing these much-needed improvements not only to the roadway, but also the watermain underneath, as well as critical safety features that will serve our students, motorists and local residents for many years to come," said Rhode Island State Sen. Louis P. DiPalma, D-12th District, and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
"Much credit goes to former Middletown Town Councilor M. Theresa Santos, who passed last year. She persevered to get this project underway for many, many years."
The Aquidneck Avenue reconstruction also will improve pedestrian safety with new sidewalks along the western side of the road and pedestrian crossing features at the entrance to Gaudet Middle School.
Additionally, RIDOT installed bike lanes along the corridor to support alternative forms of transportation that result in improved air quality through reduced automobile emissions. Approximately 16,100 vehicles per day use this section of Aquidneck Avenue, What's Up Newp noted.
The roadway's reconstruction was made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT's ongoing commitment to repair structurally deficient bridges and bring the state's transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair, promote economic development and create jobs.
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