Latest Issues and Developments
AMVA Sends Comments On Plan for BridgeAugust 31, 2010
The residents of Arnold Mills Village met to discuss RIDOT's counter-proposal for aesthetic improvement of the closed Arnold Mills Bridge #301 and drafted a response letter with three minor concerns. Careful consideration was given to each concern to balance any impact it may have on executing the plan with long-term benefit to the neighborhood.
AMVA letter to the Town of Cumberland and RIDOT (PDF 27kb)
The minor concerns were: 1 - that a currently imperfect rainwater drainage path near 322 Sneech Pond Road (formerly Pentimento) not be made worse by diverting the water. 2 - that access to 315 Sneech Pond Road (residence of Barbara Underwood) not have much-needed vehicular access impeded depending on placement of bollards. Mail carrier turnaround and snow removal clearance were related concerns. 3 - that newly added planting areas receive either no plantings such that the neighbors can add them or that planting be low-maintenance and non-invasive.
The residents' hope is that advertisement of the project will continue on September 3, 2010.
RIDOT Submits Counter-proposal for BridgeAugust 4, 2010
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has provided a counter-proposal to the landscaping plan submitted to them in February 2010, citing that funding constraints forced certain modifications.
View full RIDOT plan and letter to Mayor McKee (PDF 2.2MB)
The major goal of closing the bridge to vehicular traffic while leaving it available to pedestrians appears to be intact. Most of the aesthetically-driven material choices and design elements have unfortunately been excluded. The plan includes square wooden bollards on both ends of the bridge to exclude vehicles, a six-foot walkway down the center of the bridge, timber ties delineating the walkway that appear to be eight inches high, and small areas for plantings at each end. The existing pedestrian walkway would be closed via the addition of wood rail fencing.
Comments to the plan are encouraged before advertising the project on September 3, 2010.
Latest Bridge Design Plan Submitted to RIDOTFebruary 12, 2010
At the request of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), a revised landscape architecture design was transmitted to Bob Roccio, RIDOT managing engineer. The revised design places a pedestrian walkway in the center of the bridge and allows for up to eight feet of walkway as deemed safe and prudent by RIDOT bridge engineer, David Fish.
View full plan (PDF 1.2MB)
These changes were communicated to local residents at a small meeting convened at the Cumberland Town Hall by Mayor Dan McKee in late fall 2009. RIDOT engineers feared that using the existing pedestrian walkway on the south side of the bridge may not be the safest long-term placement and so a modification was recommended. The revised design was prepared as a pro-bono effort by local Cumberland landscape architecture firm Gifford Associates on Mendon Road. George Gifford kindly volunteered his firm's services for this project and has now prepared two excellent work products and their help is greatly appreciated.
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Other Resources
- Cumberland, RI Town Government
- Cumberland Valley Breeze News
- Franklin Farm
- The Pawtucket Times & Neighbors
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