Concerns following Park Ave Bridge closure

By Matt Blanchette
mblanchette@abc6.com

Thousands of frustrated drivers in Cranston are still dealing with detours after the sudden closure of the Park Avenue Bridge.

The bridge is the center of a major political battle between House Speaker Mattiello and Governor Gina Raimondo.

The Governor just spoke on the issue, defending the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s decision to close the bridge.

If there is one thing all sides agree on, it’s that an unsafe bridge should be closed. The DOT ordered the bridge to be closed because of “imminent danger of collapse.”

Last September it was labeled in serious condition, but the DOT cites a brutal winter as the reason for its deteriorated condition.

Cranston City Councilor, Richard Santamaria, is very concerned at how the bridge’s closure will affect his city. “It could not have happened in a worse place. It is a major, major artery, and its loss is going to have an impact,” he said.

His biggest concern is how the detour will affect emergency vehicles.

“Just think about it. If one of your loved ones was waiting on a police or fire rescue and they were delayed by a detour because of this bridge closing, it’s precious minutes that could be lost,” he said.

The bridge was built in 1906 and underwent a major renovation in 1991. 15,000 cars travel over it every day.

The DOT still isn’t commenting on a plan to fix the bridge or how long that may take. Meanwhile, Amtrak says all trains will continue to run as scheduled under the bridge. These tracks are part of the major Amtrak Northeast corridor.

RIDOT says there are 230 other structurally deficient bridges in Rhode Island, nine of which are currently being inspected. As of now, no other bridges have been shut down.

Currently, police details have been parked on both sides of the Park Avenue bridge, a spokesman for Mayor Fung says since it’s a state bridge, the state is picking up the tab. The mayor was unsure how long the details would remain.

© WLNE-TV 2015