The Rawson Road Bridges, located in the Arnold Mills section of Cumberland, RI, are eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These town-owned bridges were built by Boston Bridge Works in 1886.
The two Rawson Road Bridges are due to be replaced to provide safer passage and to improve access to the area by emergency vehicles. The Neighbors of Rawson Road Bridges recognize that the bridges have deteriorated and some action is needed. However, we are concerned about preserving the historic characteristics of the bridges, as well as minimizing traffic and speeding in the area.
In June 2001, the Rhode Island
Department of Transportation (RIDOT) presented plans for the bridges' replacement.
The $1.5 million project, to be paid for with state and federal funds,
was to included new structures of concrete and steel along with a paved
surface to replace the wooden planks on the two bridges. The
June 2001 plan was superseded with one presented in May 2002:
The area identified by the
red star above is shown in more detail below.
Ongoing negotiations between the RIDOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Cumberland Mayor McKee's office, and the Neighbors of Rawson Road Bridges has yielded a new plan, which RIDOT presented on May 10, 2002.
Features
The latest plan features:A considerable amount of thought has been put into beautifying the road through landscaping while still preserving a passageway for pedestrians. In addition, 3-5 speed tables (see www.trafficcalming.org for examples) will be installed throughout Rawson Road to help control speeding.
- Wooden planks will now be included on both bridges!
- Guard rails would be considerably shorter than the 40-50 feet on each side of the bridges originally proposed. They would also be constructed of metal, much like those on the nearby Albion bridge.
- The width of the road (22') and bridges (24' travel lanes) have not changed from the original proposal.
- The wooden fences north of the bridges, on the Riley property, would be moved further away from the road to accommodate its widening. A line of hemlock trees near the fences would be preserved.
Timing
The reconstruction of the Rawson Road Bridges is expected to last approximately 18 months. Due to a cut in the DOT's budget, timing of the federal funding is uncertain, though it could be available within the next 2-3 years. The bridge on Howard Road, just south of the Rawson Bridges, would likely be replaced shortly after the Rawson project was completed.The Next Step
On June 11, RIDOT published a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) along with a draft of the final plans. After a 30-day comment period, all consulting parties to the project, including the Neighbors of Rawson Road Bridges, will have an opportunity to sign.