EXCLUSIVE: Columns Supporting One of Providence’s Busiest Roads Show Significant Decay
GoLocalProv News Team and Josh Fenton
EXCLUSIVE: Columns Supporting One of Providence’s Busiest Roads Show Significant Decay
While portions of Memorial Boulevard are built on land and serve as the bank of the Providence River, the section of the bridge GoLocal inspected is supported by large concrete columns.
The columns were once repaired with a protective cement sleeve.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTGoLocal photos capture not only the decay of the exterior cement but also the impacts on the core support columns.
Rebar can be seen to be rusting. Rebar, short for "reinforcing bar," is a steel rod or bar used in construction to provide additional tensile strength to concrete and masonry structures. Concrete itself is very strong under compression but weak under tension (pulling forces); rebar helps address this limitation by reinforcing the concrete so it can withstand both compression and tension.
The columns support the roadway and are anchored in the Providence River. Some of the damage can be seen in plain sight for anyone walking along the River Walk or attending WaterFire, but the severity of the damage can only be seen during the Providence River’s low tide.
Two engineers who reviewed the GoLocal photos did so on the condition of anonymity, due to a multitude of lawsuits presently pending in Rhode Island courts linked to the failed Washington Bridge.
Both engineers said the condition of the columns was “disturbing” and that the columns needed immediate attention before additional damage occurred. Both stated that they did not believe the columns faced immediate failure, but urged an immediate investigation into the structural integrity of the columns.
Low Tide — Damage More Visible
GoLocal traveled by boat down the Providence River to see the columns and examine other decay along the banks of the river. At low tide, more and more of the deterioration is exposed.
On Thursday, GoLocal will report on the condition of the River Walk and the related bridge supports.
Memorial Boulevard is one of downtown Providence’s busiest roads, running from Providence Place Mall and then to the other side of downtown, merging into Dyer Street — the road is just .5 miles long.
The Memorial Boulevard bridge has been designated as “fair” according to inspections executed by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
Bridges receive three different designations according to federal scoring — Good, Fair, or Poor.
Weight Limits Posted, Cumulative Effect
The bridge portion of Memorial Boulevard has a posted weight limit. Functionally, the signs are located once a truck or bus has already entered the weight-limited area.
The weight limit section of Memorial Boulevard is heavily traveled by RIPTA buses — dozens and dozens a day as they enter and leave Kennedy Plaza.
According to RIPTA spokeswoman Cristy Raposo Perry, “Average weight of an empty RIPTA fixed-route bus is approximately 30,000 – 50,000 lbs. depending on the vehicle type.”
Those weights translate to 15 to 25 tons.
While the RIPTA buses come under the posted weight of 29 tons or 58,000 pounds, the dozens and dozens of buses have a cumulative impact.
Beyond RIPTA buses, multiple trucks can be seen traveling over the bridge daily.
According to Lt. Colonel Robert Creamer of the Rhode Island State Police, his agency has the primary responsibility for state roads, and community police officers can enforce weight limits in their respective communities.
"The Rhode Island State Police Commercial Enforcement Unit (CEU) is responsible for enforcing vehicle size and weight laws throughout the entire state. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) establishes and posts vehicle weight limits and issues special permits for oversize or overweight vehicles. The respective municipal police departments can also enforce weight limits on the local or municipal roads,” said Creamer in an email to GoLocal.
Smiley's Response
GoLocal contacted Providence Mayor Brett Smiley’s office about the condition of the columns and the lack of compliance. But his office was unable to provide a statement on the condition of the columns or on the enforcement of the weight limit.