EDITORIAL

A tough, but right, decision

Posted

While there has been much debate over how best to approach the problem, Rhode Islanders universally acknowledge the dismal condition of many of our bridges and the need for action to ensure their continued safety and viability.

Gov. Gina Raimondo has put the issue at the top of her agenda through the RhodeWorks initiative, which in revised form received the General Assembly’s approval last year. The plan, which includes new tolls on large trucks for a significant piece of its financing, has been the subject of much controversy and become a significant issue in this year’s political campaign.

RhodeWorks included ambitious plans to remake the Route 6-10 interchange, capping the stretch of highway – which is vital to commuters throughout the Greater Providence area – and creating a surface-level boulevard.

Proponents of that vision point to a range of potential benefits, particularly the reconnection of neighborhoods long divided by the highway and the ability to incorporate 21st-century features such as bike lanes and expanded mass transit.

Unfortunately, plans for a re-imagined interchange depended on receipt of a $175 million federal grant, the state’s application for which was recently denied. In the wake of that development – and following the discovery that several of the interchange’s bridges, particularly the Huntington Viaduct, are deteriorating more quickly than had been thought – Raimondo last week announced that she has directed the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to proceed immediately with plans to rebuild and replace the existing infrastructure. The effort is expected to cost $400 million, and take four years to complete.

“My absolute number one priority as governor – above all else – is keeping people safe,” Raimondo said in a statement. “We have reached a point where we need to take immediate action on the 6-10 interchange, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Thanks to the good work of the General Assembly, who came together and passed RhodeWorks, we have the funding in place we need to do this work, avoid a crisis, and keep drivers on our roads safe.”

Reaction to the announcement has been mixed. The group Fix the 6-10, which represents community organizations and supports the boulevard concept, called the new direction an “embarrassment” and an example of “rehashed failed ideas from the 1960s.”

We certainly understand the frustration. Rhode Island’s crumbling infrastructure is a significant impediment to economic revitalization, frequently cited as a major reason those who might otherwise invest in our state opt against doing so. Ideally, plans formulated to address this problem would incorporate innovative new solutions such as the boulevard concept.

But we also acknowledge the reality, as the governor cited, that time is not on our side in this instance. Re-applying for the federal money will take years. The current condition of the 6-10 bridges, and many others in our state, is the result of decades of inaction or ineffectiveness. The problem has clearly reached a breaking point, and we cannot afford a catastrophic failure that would risk lives, upend daily commutes, and result in significant economic disruption.

We hope the governor will continue to pursue alternative and innovative approaches. Perhaps all of our state leaders can take a hard, serious look at how we allocate our resources, and find ways to enhance the road and bridge improvement plans already in place. Maybe dreams of a more innovative, modern approach can be revived.

For now, however, we support the governor’s decisive action to address an enormous concern that has lingered for so many years. The tens of thousands of commuters who travel along the 6-10 on a daily basis – us included – may not all agree with the decision. But we can all be glad to know that steps are being taken to avoid a potential disaster. Given the history, that is no small consolation.

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