IN-PROGRESS: "Iway" 195 Relocation/Wash. Bridge

[Cotuit]

I think it will actually be outside the Hurricane Barrier on Sunday, the actual raising is on Monday. I think the more interesting view is to actually see it just hanging out waiting to be put in place.

[Garris]

I think it will actually be outside the Hurricane Barrier on Sunday, the actual raising is on Monday. I think the more interesting view is to actually see it just hanging out waiting to be put in place.

Um... ...I don't know if anyone has noticed, but, um...

The bridge is here!!

- Garris

[EPBOY]

Um... ...I don't know if anyone has noticed, but, um...

The bridge is here!!

- Garris

[EPBOY]

[rhuck]

Some shots of the bridge being carried up the bay. These are from East Providence, where the bike path is.

Here is where the bridge will find its home.

There were quite a few people in the parks I were, gawking at the bridge. Luckily, I had great luck finding parking spots.

This will give you a little idea of how the bridge will look from Downcity.

[Garris]

This is going to be such a graffiti target... I really hope they keep it clean!!!

- Garris

[Garris]

There were quite a few people in the parks I were, gawking at the bridge. Luckily, I had great luck finding parking spots.

I was going between hospitals this morning on 95 and wham, there it was coming around the turn. Traffic actually slowed to look at it.

Hopefully, when my work slows down later in the afternoon, I'll be able to get up to the top of RIH and get some shots.

- Garris

[jencoleslaw]

we saw it at 10 when heading down 95 to CT. Pretty cool!

[Cotuit]

I've been walking around down there all afternoon, came back with 125 photos, will be posting soon.

[Lone Ranger]

Went to see it this afternoon. Collier Pt Park is a great vantage point. While I was there, I visited the sub museum. That was on my list of things to do.

Good way to spend an afternoon, I hafta say. Hey, nice bridge.

[Cotuit]

Went to see it this afternoon. Collier Pt Park is a great vantage point.

I'll have commentary on Collier Point Park later, as a pedestrian, it won't be good

Here's my first photo(s), a pano from the Point Street Bridge. Be nice, I haven't done a pano before.

[Cotuit]

Here are my photos from Collier Point:

[Frankie811]

Great photos. But I just had a thought. I wonder if they'd consider closing the bridge if we should have a hurricane. This bridge won't be that far above the water. The same for the Point St bridge.

[Cotuit]

I wonder if they'd consider closing the bridge if we should have a hurricane. This bridge won't be that far above the water. The same for the Point St bridge.

I imagine it would be closed in a hurricane, not so much because of water levels, but because of wind speed at the head of the bay. The bridges to the Cape close when the wind goes over a certain speed, 50mph I beleive. They close a couple times a year, usually during winter noreasters.

[Gusterfell]

Your pictures are great, Cotuit. I especially like the pano, and something about the composition and colors in this one calls me:

Great photos. But I just had a thought. I wonder if they'd consider closing the bridge if we should have a hurricane. This bridge won't be that far above the water. The same for the Point St bridge.

They do close the Newport and Jamestown bridges anytime sustained winds are above something like 50 mph. Wind might be a similar concern on the Providence bridge (have they given it an official name yet, BTW?), but I don't know if proximity to the water will be. The bridge will sit higher than the Hurricane Barrier, so if the storm surge floods the road the city will have bigger problems than keeping 195 passable.

Edit: Looking again at the pictures, the thought occurs to me that the blank brick wall at the western end of the Hurricane Barrier (at far left in the last two pics) will be much more visible to the public when the Iway opens. Some interesting signage or public art of some sort might be fun there.

[megad]

So that's it?

Ugly, small, and bland IMO

[Cotuit]

Some comments on Collier Point Park:

First, I struggled here on foot. RIDoT has done nothing to ensure pedestrian access to the park, or to much of Allens Ave. I made my way to the park by walking through the construction zone. There's a large section of Allens Ave. that is blocked off, so I was able to walk in that.

When I got to the park, here's my greeting:

Sign says park is open dawn 'til dusk, I wouldn't know it judging by the chain on the pedestrian gate, into the street I went.

Back onto the sidewalk, but not for long, most of the tree branches are about 3 to 4 feet off the ground. I crossed the street, and a little way in there is a grassy area I could walk on.

It was nice to see so many people in the park. To be fair, it is among the most well maintained in the city (which isn't saying much). I like these yellow benches, they seem to hold up well to wear and tear and are difficult to vandalilze. The picnic table in the forground however... Why is that there? It's too close to parked cars, doesn't match the rest of the furniture in the park, and there's weeds growing around it. It doesn't even seem to be permanent, did someone just leave it there?

Ah, now I know I'm in a Providence Park. This is the little observation tower in the park. It's nice to have that, but it's covered in graffiti and littered with broken glass.

Here's the view from the tower, look at the traffic! I walked from Federal Hill, and aside from Atwells, the most traffic I saw in the city was here. From here you can see the landscaping has a wild overgrown quality to it, which is really nice. It's too overgrown in some areas along walkways though, and there is too much litter and unemptied trash bins.

Now this has never been the most used park in the city, and it's never been very accessible to pedestrians, through when I worked in Davol Square I used to have lunch here from time to time. There are often people fishing here, and I imagine the people from the Russian Sub Museum do some work on upkeep. However, the 195 work is no excuse for letting this area lapse and not maintaining pedestrian access. It is one of the few waterfront parks we have. I believe the plan is to expand this a bit as part of the relocation project. Let's hope they get it right.

Back on Allens Ave. we have this building:

Anyone know it's fate? It sits among the 195 ramps, but not directly under any (so far as I can tell). One thing I'd like to see under the ramps in this area is a skate park. This building would serve well as a teen center to sit alongside the skatepark. I hope it's not getting knocked down.

And I'm laughing my ass off at the sidewalk ends cross here sign. Uhm, first off, a crosswalk would be nice. But I guess a crosswalk usually goes with another sidewalk on the other side, of which there isn't one. Thanks a bunch RIDoT!

[Frankie811]

So that's it?

Ugly, small, and bland IMO

This dosen't surprise me, coming from you, the one who says 110 won't be built.

[Cotuit]

Next set, Point Street and Corliss Landing:

Up next, behind the Hurricane Barrier:

[Cotuit]

Everyone was sneeking through the Hurricane Gate on South Water Street, so I did too. There were some construction workers on the other side who didn't care, they were even posing for photos with kids and stuff. Nice.

This is looking out from under the relocated 195 towards the supports where the bridge will eventually sit.

Everyone got to get right up next to the bridge, interesting and a little scary.

This area under the bridge is really interesting, it would be nice to see the area under here glassed in with some retail under the bridge, and some sort of landing on the river side. Even though this will be under the bridge eventually, it's still a facsinating space, and the narrow gap between the Hurricane Barrier and the bridge will only be more interesting when the bridge is in place.

The forms here on the right are eventually going to be the decorative piers of the bridge I believe.

This underpass is South Main Street I believe. I walked through the gate at South Water. Between S. Main and S. Water, the area under the bridge is open, I mentioned earlier this would be interesting to glass in and make a retail spot, I fear it is going to be parking though (which someone from Fox Point was super excited about at the Providence 2020 meetings ).

I'm pretty sure this is Benefit Street. Each underpass has a gate in it because it is part of the Hurricane Barrier. The area under the bridge is not open between here and S. Main the way it is between S. Main and S. Water. This photo is taken from India Street.

[Cotuit]

Here's a slightly less successful pano.

The intent is to show that this area needs development against the highway.

The viaduct does not create a welcoming area for open space.

Build on either side of India Street, and allow for an area along the water for open space.

[Gusterfell]

^is that about where we thought the rumored GSA tower from months ago is supposed to go?

[Cotuit]

^is that about where we thought the rumored GSA tower from months ago is supposed to go?

I have a photo of that, wait a sec...

See the red and yellow building with the green pyramid on it at the right of the pano? That's the proposed GSA location.

[Cotuit]

Former "Snookers" (I think) proposed GSA location.

[Gusterfell]

Thanks. Like you said, India St. definitely needs some sort of development, but something would need to be done with the space below the highway as well, like your idea of glased-in retail (love it, by the way). If it is allowed to become underused space boxed in by buildings on India St, the Hurricane Barrier, and the highway, I could see it becoming a dangerously sketchy place where all sorts of things could go on out of sight.