Introduced By: Senators Damiani, Irons, Tavares and Bates
Date Introduced : June 23, 1998
WHEREAS, In March of 1996 the Rhode Island Department of Transportation closed a median turn around one thousand three hundred (1300) feet south of Forbes Street in the City of East Providence to improve safety on the Wampanoag Trail; and
WHEREAS, A report prepared by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation in April 1997 found the closing of the median turn around reduced the accidents at the Forbes Street intersection; and
WHEREAS, Because of the significant reduction in accidents, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation has decided to keep the median turn around one thousand three (1300) feet south of Forbes Street closed; and
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Department of Transportation has prepared a study in November 1997 to determine alternatives to provide unimpeded access to Wampanoag Trail for motorists wishing to travel north from Forbes Street in a safe manner; and
WHEREAS, Alternative No. 1 of said study would be the construction of a so-called "flyover" which would be an elevated roadway through adjacent Mobil Oil property on the northwest corner of the intersection, a bridge over the Wampanoag Trail, and a new ramp/access road on the east side of the Trail; and
WHEREAS, Said study concluded that the new access road would need to be built to eliminate conflicting traffic movements at Forbes Street that would result from building the "flyover"; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests that the Department of Transportation construct a "flyover" to provide access to the Wampanoag Trail for motorists traveling north on Forbes Street; and be it further,
RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Director of the Department of Transportation, and Lincoln Almond, Governor of the State of Rhode Island.
