New I-95 bridge in Pawtucket

[mental757]

PROJO: "Pawtucket hotel developer cites traffic flow"

http://www.projo.com/business/content/NO_P...v9.26cd433.html

[brick]

PROJO: "Pawtucket hotel developer cites traffic flow"

http://www.projo.com/business/content/NO_P...v9.26cd433.html

[Cotuit]

Why is the George Street ramp closed? Just to keep trucks from Route 1 off of Route 95? I would think a "No Trucks" sign would suffice, I mean they didn't need to close Route 95 to keep trucks off, they did it with signs.

I think the question needs to be, with the 295 and 146 detours, is a Pawtucket detour of this magnitude needed? Through traffic should be using 295 or 146, traffic on this section of 95 should only be bound for, or originating in Pawtucket. So do we need this massive disruption to the traffic patterns in Pawtucket to move through trucks that shouldn't even be on this section of Route 95 in the first place?

[brick]

Why is the George Street ramp closed? Just to keep trucks from Route 1 off of Route 95? I would think a "No Trucks" sign would suffice, I mean they didn't need to close Route 95 to keep trucks off, they did it with signs.

[Cotuit]

I do think some detour is necessary. However, I also think that they have made it a little too easy and that trucks will start using the street detour instead of the 146-295 detour which will add time to their trip.

[Jenks]

As far as I've seen, the Staties have been pretty hardcore about pulling rigs over that seem to have bypassed the detour.

[frymasterspeck]

Why is the George Street ramp closed?

[brick]

With all apologies to the families of the dead and whatever other disclaimer makes me look like less of a dink.

The Feds will not come in with money unless the Minnesota thing happens again. The Feds and especially this administration have an approach to infrastructure which is "let a disaster happen and then try to look like heroes with the relief" instead of the more practical and better for everyone "let's put some money into preventing these disasters." Maybe we could say there is a terrorist threat with the bridge in its current condition and get TSA money.

If the Pawtucket bridge had collapsed and killed a few dozen people, the feds would be all over it. Because it only has the potential to do so, it will be ignored. However, the State absolutely should not ignore it, because as Cotuit mentions, trucking is important to the state. And I, for one, am intrigued by the idea of short haul coasting shipping finding a place in RI. But if truckers all complain about RI's accessibility because of that bridge, then that could be the straw that breaks the camels back.

[Cotuit]

Maybe we can blow up the bridge and throw some mannequins in the river and stand on the edge and cry. The Feds aren't smart enough to see through that ruse.

[Magellan98]

Seems the DOT never expected the citizens of Pawtucket would demand an aesthetically pleasing new bridge to replace the derelict overpass currently spanning the Blackstone River. I think its fantastic that a group of concerned, educated, creative citizens has emerged in Pawtucket. They aren't going to settle for the status quo.

http://www.projo.com/business/content/NO_P...16.348a8e5.html

[Cotuit]

There's a good write-up on The Bucket Blog about this too:

http://thebucketblog.com/?p=86

[frymasterspeck]

Thanks, man. I do feel that my story has more meat than the Projo or the P-Times, although Castellucci seems like good people.

Also, I was really impressed with Richard Blockson, GM of the Times. I feel like I want to try to 'build a bridge' there, as it were.

I think everybody gets high marks for the meeting. Pawtucket came across as engaged and not too kooky, which is how I might characterize some other meetings I've seen.

Today is so lovely that I walked the long way and got some shots from Taft St and I'ma tryan Photoshop in what this preposterous retaining wall is going to look like. That should be interesting...

I think its fantastic that a group of concerned, educated, creative citizens has emerged in Pawtucket. They aren't going to settle for the status quo.

[frymasterspeck]

Here's some views I Photoshop'd real quick to show the space they're talking about filling on the west side of the river. On the right is looking north on Taft, river to your right. Vice versa the other.

There's also fill on the east side that I'll get some day it's not sleeting.

[Cotuit]

You know its kind of 6 of one half a dozen of the other. The space under bridges are just dead. If they washed the wall with some interesting light, put some pattern or artistic relief into the face of the concrete... did anything to dress it up, it actually may feel less sinister under the bridge then it does with that ramp arrangement. Keeping it clean, lit, and maintaining a good pedestrian environment on either side is key with any underpass like this.

There's no dearth of artists and designers in the Bucket who could take a crack at dressing this up.

[frymasterspeck]

You're right, of course. I wanna see enormous graffiti murals. Or terraced with plants. It's gonna be frickin' huge.

The truth: I always had dreamed of a Burnside-style skate park in that location. The drop is epic.

[Cotuit]

The truth: I always had dreamed of a Burnside-style skate park in that location. The drop is epic.

[brick]

Being a Troll, I always thought that would be kind of a cool place for a residence.

I agree with cotuit, the existing space under that bridge is awful. We aren't losing much going to a culvert style. But, a skate park would be cool.

[Lowerdeck]

A big bump and a bit off topic.

It seems like the weight limit on the 95 bridge in Pawtucket goes down a couple of tons every few months. Last night when I went into Providence I saw the signs saying it was down to 18 tons. I recall a couple months ago it was 22 tons.

Is this bridge really getting that much worse? Has anything been learned from Mianus River or I-35W in Minneapolis? Would it be a smart idea to for a couple of years switch I-95 with I-295? (It's been done before in Wilmington, Del.)

[brick]

A big bump and a bit off topic.

It seems like the weight limit on the 95 bridge in Pawtucket goes down a couple of tons every few months. Last night when I went into Providence I saw the signs saying it was down to 18 tons. I recall a couple months ago it was 22 tons.

Is this bridge really getting that much worse? Has anything been learned from Mianus River or I-35W in Minneapolis? Would it be a smart idea to for a couple of years switch I-95 with I-295? (It's been done before in Wilmington, Del.)

[Griswald]

In response to the question about the weight limit reduction - I noticed the same thing, and at first it sounded extremely sketchy. How do you determine exactly how many tons can be supported? What if there is a traffic jam where the entire bridge is bumper to bumper cars, and everyone has a full load? I drive on this bridge every day and I don't want to end up going for a swim on my way to work....

I realized however, that when they reduced the weight limit from 22 tons to 18 tons, it was right after they added all of the jersey barriers narrowing the lanes.

By the way, has anyone else noticed how many trucks get pulled over by the state troopers for going over the bridge? I usually see a few a day.

[FjmArch]

In response to the question about the weight limit reduction - I noticed the same thing, and at first it sounded extremely sketchy. How do you determine exactly how many tons can be supported? What if there is a traffic jam where the entire bridge is bumper to bumper cars, and everyone has a full load? I drive on this bridge every day and I don't want to end up going for a swim on my way to work....

I realized however, that when they reduced the weight limit from 22 tons to 18 tons, it was right after they added all of the jersey barriers narrowing the lanes.

By the way, has anyone else noticed how many trucks get pulled over by the state troopers for going over the bridge? I usually see a few a day.

[brick]

More importantly if there are 6 trucks a day cited for driving over the bridge X 7 months that the weight limit has been in effect, there is +/- 4million floating around in the general fund. This money should be earmarked for the new bridge to enhance the design above and beyond the typical highway bridge that we are going to have at the end of the day.

[FjmArch]

I think the fine was only added recently. So maybe a month of fines.

[Cotuit]

We should just let it continue to rot until the weight limit is 200 lbs., then we'll have the worlds most kick ass bike path.

[frymasterspeck]

We should just let it continue to rot until the weight limit is 200 lbs., then we'll have the worlds most kick ass bike path.