Following a resolution introduced at the Sept. 11 council meeting, the Newport City Council is set to host a workshop to review proposed traffic calming design recommendations for Admiral Kalbfus Road.
The resolution, brought forward by Councilors Angela Lima, Jean Marie Napolitano, Lynn Underwood Ceglie, and Charlie Holder, aims to address ongoing traffic concerns and safety issues along the busy thoroughfare.
The workshop will include experts from the city administration and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to discuss potential changes to the road’s design and traffic flow.
Bari Freeman, of Bike Newport and RIDE Island, stated, “There are benefits to this plan. There are also impacts to the plan. And I really recommend you have this workshop because you need to talk about it, you need to understand it, and you need to have the chance to discuss it.”
RIDOT has proposed several changes, including:
- Upgrading traffic signal equipment at the intersection of Admiral Kalbfus and Hillside Avenue
- Installing “no turn on red” signs at the same intersection
- Adding speed and red light cameras
- Installing a traffic signal at Admiral Kalbfus and Sagamore Street
- Implementing weight restrictions on vehicles
The proposed design also includes restriping the roadway to provide 10-foot vehicle travel lanes and buffered 5-foot bike lanes along the corridor.
Paul Donovan presented video evidence of the increased truck traffic on Admiral Kalbfus Road. He noted, “Since that time, our neighborhood has been affected drastically with … a large amount of tractor-trailer trucks, heavy-duty vehicles that never before traveled on Admiral Kalbfus Road.”
Michael Wall added, “13,000 vehicles travel on Admiral Kalbfus every day. And since 2017, the number of big trucks … has increased by 38%.”
The proposed changes aim to alter the road’s designation as a principal artery, potentially leading to weight restrictions that would divert large trucks to alternative routes.
The council unanimously passed the resolution to move forward with the workshop.
Update: The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2, at 6 pm in the Cafetorium at Pell Elementary School.
Resolution
