Jef Nickerson
Work has begun on Dean Street, praise Maude!
So I’m not at all sure what is up here, the Stimulus sign went up the other day and work began in earnest today. The Mayor asked for $10million for 18 miles of sidewalk repair in his stimulus wish list last year. That wish list had nothing specific to Dean Street in it.
Way back in 2003, RIDOT did a study on the Dean-Cahir-Stewart corridor and released this report 
. That report called for $3.5million (which seems way low) worth of improvements to the corridor including more turn lanes (which I’m not a fan of) and bump outs at certain areas to enhance pedestrian movements (which I am a fan of). I don’t know if the improvements proposed in that plan are included in the work happening now however. I’ll reach out to some contacts in the city and see what I can find out.
But seriously, if they stopped work right now, it would be a vast improvement over how Dean Street has been for the better part of the last decade.
UPDATE 10/02/2009:
I heard back from Planning regarding the scope on Dean Street and am told it is a complete rebuild of the right-of-way (street and sidewalks) from Stewart to West Exchange Street. There are plans for the work in the Planning office which I may pop in to take a look at next week.
Photos by Jef Nickerson
I saw other areas of sidewalk repair when crossing Smith Hill this morning. The target seems to be the acres of buckled “temporary” asphalt sidewalks.
Good news indeed, and finally something “concrete” comes of the Obama administration.
*hur hur hur*
Not just there. They’re re-doing sidewalks on the south side of Atwells Ave between Eagle St. and Valley St too.
And I note the north side is all marked up with utility locations so apparently they’re going to tear up relatively new (though badly corroded) concrete.
Does this mean they’ll actually re-pave Dean St? That’s the biggest issue with it. The sidewalks, while problematic weren’t horrible, but the road itself is like off-roading.
Sidewalks, really? No doubt keenly necessary in many areas, but surely some actual paving would have been a better choice. (Such as Dean, that’s great)
As has been mentioned, the section from Harris to Valley of Atwells has been under construction all week. (and the bus shelter is currently still MIA). But really, did that section of sidewalk really need to be replaced. I had hoped that utility work was underway and better than usual replacement was being done.
I heard back from Planning regarding the scope on Dean Street and am told it is a complete rebuild of the right-of-way (streets and sidewalks) from Stewart to West Exchange Street. There are plans for the work in the Planning office which I may pop in to take a look at next week.
That tree is not going to live through the construction.
I wonder if the 10mil for sidewalk repair includes fund to clear them in the winter…