No progress on temporary road off of Belfield Drive in Johnston

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — A temporary road was supposed to be built Monday off of Belfield Drive in Johnston to help residents impacted by flooding.

As of Monday evening, no progress has been made.

Construction of the road was planned to allow residents access to their homes once the mandatory evacuation due to severe flooding is lifted.

David Pearce made the journey to Belfield Drive on Monday, because, he wanted to make sure his son’s home is heated to avoid significant damage.

“The pipes are going to freeze,” Pearce explained to ABC 6 News Anchor Alyssa Azzara. “[My son] has enough problems, so we thought if we put electric heaters in there it would take the edge off.”

Due to high flood waters, it is not an easy journey to get to the end of Belfield Drive.

“We had to park on the side of 295, jump over a fence, cut through a river, and we made our way down to the end of the road,” Pearce continued.

Meanwhile, the owner of Anthony’s Oil, Anthony Amalfitano, is working with the town to deliver oil to customers without heat in the area.

“Whatever we have to do to get them heat,” Amalfitano said. “It’s going to be really cold this week…being that cold, they have to get heat.”

Amalfitano had to transfer oil from his truck to the town’s truck to make the trek through flood waters. He said they need a temporary road to use as soon as possible.

“Hopefully, they approve it, so we can get down here to get these people heat, because we need it,” Amalfitano said. “The pipes will freeze, homes will be destroyed. They need the heat.”

Johnston Mayor Joe Polisena Jr. told ABC 6 News this past Friday that the temporary road would be complete Monday.

The road would connect Belfield Drive to 295, but there are no crews and no temporary road in sight.

“It’s frustrating to say the least,” Pearce said. “[My son is] stuck either here or not here, he’s missed work several times because of this and it just seems like they’re getting the run around.”

“They’re telling them what they want to hear,” Pearce added. “They were getting the passage through and then they weren’t. They were going to open the street and then they weren’t. I don’t think anyone really knows what is going on.”

ABC 6 reached out to Polisena’s office, the town councilor who represents the district, the police department and the governor’s office for information on the situation and have yet to hear back.

Governor Dan McKee’s office referred ABC 6 to RIDOT, who has not yet responded.