43 replies to this topic

[JimmyGreaves]

Anyone know anything about this project?  Sounds like a typical urban renewal mistake to me.  Tear down a potentially reusable building in the name of traffic engineering.  But maybe I'm wrong.  Anyway, it's called the Apponaug Circular Project.  I've attached a RIDOT document and news story.

RIDOT Document - Apponaug Circular Project

Traffic detours for building demolition

[Bil]

JimmyGreaves, on Apr 3 2009, 10:15 AM, said:

Anyone know anything about this project?  Sounds like a typical urban renewal mistake to me.  Tear down a potentially reusable building in the name of traffic engineering.  But maybe I'm wrong.  Anyway, it's called the Apponaug Circular Project.  I've attached a RIDOT document and news story.

It is a bit of a bummer that some buildings are going down, but I think the new traffic pattern is a winner. The original sin was in creating the one-way circulator around the village (see also: Arctic/West Warwick, Centerdale/North Providence, East Providence). I'd say there was zero chance of anything worthwhile being done in those buildings (or Apponaug in general) under the existing traffic regime, it's really pretty terrible.

Unfortunately it still seems like Post Road where it goes past City Hall will remain one way. My general sense is that Apponaug is sort of a hopeless case for a variety of reasons, but I think this road project will be a big improvement.

[mental757]

In case anyone didn't know (or even cares), Main and Washington Streets through Arctic were returned to 2-way traffic a couple/few years ago.

[Recchia]

Apponaug has slowly been de-urbanized for the past 30 years.  Too bad since it could be Warwick's "downtown."