House Passes Newport’s $98.5M Infrastructure Bond Proposal for November’s Ballot

In a significant step forward for Newport’s ambitious infrastructure plans, the proposed $98.5 million infrastructure improvement bond cleared a vital hurdle on Tuesday. The House of Representatives passed legislation (2024-H 8086) aimed at putting the bond question before voters in the upcoming November elections.

Spearheaded by Representative Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport), the bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

“Newport stands to gain immensely from the projects outlined in the bond proposal, particularly in bolstering the resilience of key infrastructure elements that define Newport’s unique charm,” commented Representative Carson.

The legislation empowers the city to seek voter approval for up to $98.5 million in general obligation bonds to finance eight critical projects outlined in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan:

1. $47 million allocated for a new location for the City Yard and Utilities Offices, addressing space constraints exacerbated by the new Pell Bridge ramps.
2. $5 million earmarked for the renovation or demolition of the vacant James L. Maher Center, a city-owned property on Hillside Avenue.
3. $12 million designated for Easton’s Beach, encompassing the demolition of carousel and snack bar buildings, alongside the commencement of sand replenishment efforts to combat erosion.
4. $10 million allocated to remove soil stockpiled from the new Rogers High School construction project and remediate the Harrison Avenue landfill. The soil from the high school project, initially slated for use at the former landfill, was deemed unsuitable due to silt content.
5. $5 million set aside for replacing the Harbormaster building at Perrotti Park and adding public restroom facilities.
6. $2.5 million allocated as the city’s contribution for a grant from the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank to repair the seawall and implement other improvements at King Park aimed at flood prevention.
7. $5 million designated for the city’s share of the repairs to Cliff Walk.
8. $12 million earmarked for replacing the Perrotti Park bulkhead.

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