Why is Reservoir Avenue being dug up again?
CRANSTON. R.I. (WJAR) — Issues on heavily traveled Reservoir Avenue in Cranston go back more than a decade. But, resurfacing of the major stretch finished up three and a half years ago.
And then the gas company started digging it up again. We’re literally digging deeper to find out how that happened.
For those who travel Reservoir Avenue in Cranston, it was a relief in mid-December 2019, when the $6 million, nearly two mile stretch, that included sidewalks, signaling, turn lanes, and resurfacing, was finally finished.
But, to the dismay of many, Rhode Island Energy's gas division began tearing it up again in May of last year.
By most accounts, the patches are sub-par, and have compromised the roadway.
Those who drive Reservoir Avenue in Cranston are not too happy, to say the least.
"I don't understand it. We could all get together and figure it out, to do it once," Joan DiNuccio of Smithfield told NBC 10.
Dale Pafume of Charlestown agreed, stating, "It seems like every time they do work, it starts all over again."
For Kathy Droham of Providence, "It's been really disruptive as we go up and down Reservoir Avenue."
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation, not the city of Cranston, approved the Reservoir Avenue work, since its state Route 2.
How did this happen? In emailed replies, from both RIDOT and Rhode Island Energy, prior to the start of the project, RIDOT approached then National Grid who told them they had no work planned.
But, after the resurfacing was done, the utility noticed an increase in gas leaks, and in the interest of health and safety, decided to replace the entire main, with RIDOT's approval, on the condition the utility company resurface the whole stretch curb-to-curb. This has a target end of 2023.
We'll keep you posted, because you may remember, back in 2019, the city of Providence temporarily stopped issuing permits to then National Grid's gas division over a backlog of unfixed sub-par road patches after work had been done.