Above: R.I. Department of Transportation rendering of the proposed reconfiguration of the Park Avenue/East Main Road intersection.
PORTSMOUTH — Town Council members and local residents had a strong message for state officials Monday night over plans for the intersection of East Main Road and Park Avenue: It ain’t broke, so don’t fix it.
Officials from the R.I. Department of Transportation (RIDOT) came before the council to present its East Main Road Accessibility Improvements Project. The plan calls for the upgrading of sidewalks along a 2.3-mile stretch of East Main Road, from Turnpike Avenue to Boyd’s Lane. It also includes paving improvements at the intersections of East Main and Boyd’s Lane and at Village Way.
But what drew fireworks Monday was RIDOT’s proposal for the Park Avenue/East Main Road intersection and nearby Chase Road. RIDOT presented a plan to shift Park Avenue to the south as it meets East Main Road, so it can share the same traffic light with Basin Street on the other side of the road. The intersection would include four pedestrian crosswalks.
The state also is proposing blocking access to Chase Road from westbound traffic on Park Avenue, and putting what amounts to a cul-de-sac at the south end of the former road. There would also be a green space between the end of Chase Road and Park Avenue that would act as a retention pond, with an attached storm drain to move excess water down Park Avenue.
Lumbri Zerva, supervising civil engineer at RIDOT, said the plan will make things simpler and safer at the intersection and help slow down drivers on East Main Road. “When complete it will be a big improvement to pedestrians and motorists and visually to the town,” said Mr. Zerva. “I think that was an intersection that had its day many years ago when things were a little different.”
Council members and residents, however, expressed bewilderment at why such a plan was needed.
The ramp sending northbound cars on East Main Road east onto Park Avenue (red car) would be eliminated under a plan presented by the R.I. Department of Transportation Monday night. The proposal calls for a sharper, righthand turn at a traffic light at the intersection, which would be moved further south.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s going to flow very well,” she said.
Resident Peter Roberts agreed. “That turn, when you come to Park Avenue, saves a lot of time so you don’t have to stop at that light. I’ve never seen anyone speed around that turn. I’ve never seen an accident there. Everything is working there really well,” said Mr. Roberts.
Police Chief Thomas Lee agreed that the intersection isn’t considered a safety hazard. “We don’t have a lot of accidents there and we don’t have a lot of speeding complaints there,” he said.
Some residents suggested that RIDOT spend money on what they believe are more pressing matters. Mr. Roberts suggested fixing the potholes along East Main Road. Another resident, Tom Grieb, said Sprague Street is in dire need of safe sidewalks since many teenagers walk to and from the high school along that road.
“That needs to be done way before this needs to be done,” said Mr. Grieb.
Bad for business?
RIDOT’s plan for the East Main/Park Avenue intersection was also criticized for potentially hurting future businesses that may pop up along Chase Road. There are several vacant commercial lots on the south side of the post office that won’t be served well by a proposed dead end on Chase Road, said William Clark, the town’s director of business development.
“There are some other inherent problems there and now you’re creating a cul-de-sac which will make it harder to develop commercial property,” Mr. Clark said.
One of those commercial lots is owned by Dan Moriarty, owner of Moriarty’s Liquor Locker.
“I’m very concerned with DOT’s communication with the business community. I don’t think the DOT hears enough on how these decisions will adversely impact the value of those commercial sites,” Mr. Moriarty said.
Chee Laureanno, a broker with East Shore Properties, agreed.
“There has been no consultation with business owners in the area,” said Ms. Laureanno, who claimed that RIDOT projects have diverted traffic away from many local businesses for years.
Council Vice President James Seveney spoke for many in the room when he asked RIDOT officials, “What problem is this fixing? You guys have taken the temperature of the room here.”
Steve Pristawa, chief civil engineer at RIDOT, said the plan got started after former Police Chief Lance Hebert requested that Basin Street be made part of the intersection.
“If it were not for Basin Street, I don’t know if we would have gone down this road to begin with,” Mr. Pristawa conceded, before adding that the new design is more conventional, with fewer “conflict points” and “less chance for people to collide.”
New access points
One part of the plan that most agreed upon, however, was RIDOT’s proposal to improve the two small access points to Chase Road from East Main Road. The narrow, angled cutaways confuse some drivers, said Mr. Zerva, and need to be widened to better accommodate vehicles traveling in both directions.
“You don’t know whether you’re coming or going; it’s a little bit of a free-for-all,” he said.
Mr. Zerva said RIDOT is open to the town’s suggestions and will take them into consideration when formulating its final recommendation. He also agreed to meet with the Portsmouth Business Association to hear its concerns. The project will probably not be put out to bid until the end of this summer, he said.