The Rhode Island Department of Transportation today announced completion of improvements to Snell Road in Little Compton. The improvements, part of Governor Gina Raimondo's RhodeWorks program, were completed a year earlier than originally planned which eliminated detours and construction delays for Little Compton residents.
"Thanks to RhodeWorks we are rebuilding Rhode Island and putting Rhode Islanders back to work," Governor Raimondo said. "I am proud the Department of Transportation has completed yet another project ahead of schedule and know they will keep up the good work."
"Just a week ago we reopened a bridge in North Smithfield six months ahead of schedule, and here we are finishing a project a full year ahead of time," RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. said. "Finishing these projects ahead of time and on budget demonstrates how well the Governor's RhodeWorks program works and the type of results taxpayers can expect from their Department of Transportation."
RIDOT's project management team on the Snell Road project coordinated closely with its contractor, Narragansett Improvement Company, to sequence work so that it exceeded the requirements of a deadline for an environmental permit. The Department would have been prohibited from excavating for drainage culverts from October 31 through the end of June 2018. With the drainage work done before the late October deadline, RIDOT was able to move forward with paving and complete the project one year early. The original completion date was December 2018.
The time savings likely will result in a cost savings of approximately $500,000 or about one quarter of the $2.2 million project cost.
In addition to resurfacing, new signing and striping of Snell Road from East Main Road to Long Highway, the project included minor landscaping, guardrail replacement and new drainage culverts across the .62-mile roadway. During the drainage and pavement work, RIDOT had to periodically close the road to traffic from October 11-November 30, requiring a detour for area motorists.
The improvements on Snell Road were made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT's ongoing commitment to repair structurally deficient bridges and bring Rhode Island's transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair, promote economic development, and create jobs. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.