North Kingstown officials, residents, and business owners have been working collaboratively for years to lay the groundwork for new sidewalks along Post Road (Route 1). Now, thanks to a new $2 million federal earmark secured by U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the project should take a major step forward.
Today, Senator Reed, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Director Peter Alviti, North Kingstown Town Manager Ralph Mollis, Town Council President Greg Mancini, and community members pounded the pavement during a tour of the area and announced new federal funding for sidewalks along both sides of Post Road – one of North Kingstown’s most trafficked streets – between Camp Ave and West Main Street, and on West Main Street, from Post Road to Brown Street.
Adding sidewalks has been discussed for decades, and has been a local priority project for Town leadership over the last several years. The sidewalks will make the road safer to navigate and maneuver for pedestrians and drivers alike.
“The Town Manager and the Town Council have actively worked with RIDOT to make our streets safe, accessible, and connected. I am pleased to have secured $2 million in federal funding to help them take the next step,” said Senator Reed. “Adding these sidewalks will make Post Road more walkable and give people more options to safely get where they need to go. And walkable streets are good for business. So this is a smart, targeted investment in pedestrian safety and economic development. I commend everyone who worked collaboratively to get us to this point. I look forward to returning to more walkable, pedestrian-friendly streets that will be a boon for retailers, the community, and future business growth.”
“We’re so grateful to Senator Reed and the rest of our Congressional delegation for constantly bringing home funding to make our transportation system better and safer for all,” RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. said. “We will be moving into the design phase right away, and will be working with the town on the design elements for this project which will both replace existing substandard sidewalks and add new sidewalks along these roads.”
“Once again, Senator Reed has come through for the residents of Rhode Island,” said Town Manager Ralph Mollis. “While I have prioritized moving this project forward over the past few years, the Post Road, West Main Street Sidewalk Project has been in the works for a decade. The rising cost of this project has made it challenging. This federal earmark from Senator Reed will allow this long awaited and critical pedestrian and business-friendly project to move forward.”
“This is an important project for our community that our town has been trying to jumpstart for some time,” said Town Council President Greg Mancini. “This funding will do that. The project itself is important to the town because it significantly increases pedestrian access to high-traffic areas and is a vital part of revitalizing Post Road.”
After extensive public input, design for the sidewalk installation and curbing project in North Kingstown is now underway. RIDOT estimates construction will begin in fall of 2024. In total, the project is expected to cost around $8 million.
Federal funding for this project was secured by Senator Reed in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations law that was signed by President Biden on December 29, 2022.
The new sidewalks will be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.
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