Rhode Island
Posted inCity & Government

DEM will start work on replacing Main Street Boat Ramp in Westerly on November 1

by Community Submission

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is pleased to announce that it will start work on replacing the Main Street boat ramp in Westerly on Nov. 1. The popular boat ramp, owned and maintained by DEM, provides access to the Pawcatuck River and is used by recreational boaters and paddlers alike.
The project will include removing and disposing of the existing concrete ramp and building a new 20-foot-wide pre-cast concrete ramp in the same footprint. The new ramp will have adjacent floating docks oriented in an L-shape, replacing the deteriorating fixed-dock system currently in place. The new docks will allow boaters to tie off their vessels, ensuring their launch is safe and convenient, while improving resiliency to rising water levels caused by global warming. The replacement will cost around $500,000 and is being financed by Rhode Island’s share of authorized and appropriated funds from the federal Sports Fish Recreation Act.
“Along with the clear benefit of providing a first-class facility for boaters, anglers, and paddlers to launch onto the Pawcatuck River and points beyond, this replacement project involves the work of a Rhode Island construction firm and local people, which makes it a win-win,” said Governor Dan McKee.
“This project combines and highlights several DEM priorities including clean water, fishery conservation, outdoor recreational opportunities, and ensuring shoreline and fishing access across Rhode Island,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “Boat ramps are an important shared, public resource and anglers, recreational boaters, and paddlers from Westerly and beyond rely on the Main Street boat ramp to connect with nature. We’re pleased to announce the start date of this exciting project.”
DEM estimates the work will take seven months, with the ramp remaining closed throughout and reopening around May 1, 2023. The south half of the parking lot, including access to the existing boat ramp, will be closed during the construction. Access to the shoreline of the north half of the ramp property will remain open providing access to the Pawcatuck River for shoreline fishing and car top boats. For alternative public boat ramps, boaters can access the Barn Island boat launch at the end of Palmer Neck Road in Stonington, CT, or the Quonochontaug boat ramp at the end of West Beach Road in Charlestown.
The project was designed by staff of the DEM Division of Planning and Development and The Nature Conservancy. Commonly known as the Dingell-Johnson Act, the Sport Fish Restoration Program is a user-pay, user-benefit program that is derived from taxes on motorboat fuel, fishing equipment, and the purchase of some boats. Administered at the federal level by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the program invests these taxes into financial assistance for state management agencies to implement boating infrastructure improvements. Through it, similar saltwater boat ramp projects have been completed at DEM properties including the Quonnie Breachway, Galilee boat ramp in Narragansett, and Goddard State Park ramp in Warwick. The Main Street boat ramp improvement project will complement millions of dollars that federal, state, municipal, and nonprofit partners have already invested in state boating and fishing access infrastructure.
Recreational boating and fishing are ingrained in the culture of the Ocean State. They also are important economic drivers: 54,000 boats use Rhode Island waters each year, including more than 40,000 registered to RI owners. As part of a larger network of recreational opportunities in the state, fishing plays an important role in connecting people with nature, promoting health, and attracting tourism. According to the USFWS, there are around 175,000 recreational anglers (age 16+) in Rhode Island. Recreational fishing contributes more than $130 million to the economy each year.
The engineering design firm on the project is GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc. GZA’s services include engineering, design, permitting, and construction phase oversight for a total of $66,300. The construction work will be done by Atlantic Marine Construction LLC out of Westerly.
For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.

Posted inCity & Government

RIDOT reopens Cottrell Bridge on Route 91 in Westerly

by Community Submission

Rhode Island Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Carlos C. Machado, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Chief Operating Officer Loren Doyle, and Westerly Town Manager Shawn Lacey today joined other state and local leaders to celebrate the completion of the Cottrell Bridge in Westerly, an important link for the community connecting Route 78 and Route 1.
RIDOT replaced the structurally deficient bridge using corrosion resistant fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tub girders instead of steel beams. This accelerated bridge construction method allowed RIDOT to compress work that normally would have stretched a full construction season into just three months. A shorter duration closure not only cut down on the length of time drivers needed to detour, it reduced emissions that would have resulted from a longer-term detour.
“Along rural roads in Rhode Island like this one, closing a bridge is a big deal given the distances people need to travel to get around it,” Governor Dan McKee said. “That’s why we’re so grateful for the diligent work of the men and women on RIDOT’s team that fast-tracked this work and reopened this road in very short order.”
“FHWA’s commitment to innovation is central to much of what the Agency will continue to do over the next several years,” Administrator Machado said. “We have already seen innovation improve our roads and bridges to increase safety and accessibility for our residents and travelers. But new technologies – such as accelerate bridge construction – hold the promise to dramatically reduce highway closures, fatalities and expand access to transportation for traditionally underserved communities. So, encouraging innovation, while ensuring safety is more important than ever for my Administration.”
“This is another example of RIDOT meeting the needs of the community, employing innovative bridge construction methods to replace this bridge as quickly as possible and provide a safe, modern bridge that will serve Westerly for decades to come,” RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. said.
“The residents of the Town of Westerly certainly now recognize Route 91 as a major artery and thoroughfare linking so many parts of our community,” Town Manager Shawn Lacey said. “The replacement and upgrade of the Cottrell Bridge was vital to ensure the safety of the surrounding wildlife habitat and especially for the over 4,300 vehicles that traverse the bridge daily. We are pleased and grateful for the professional and diligent work by RIDOT in fast-tracking the project to meet the needs and lessen the burden to the commuters here in Westerly.”
The replacement of the bridge was timed to coordinate with the Department of Environmental Management’s requirement to schedule certain construction activities only during a low-flow period for the McGowan Brook to minimize any impact on the environment.
With the reopening, the 8-ton weight limit has been removed. Some final detail work may be needed weekdays as the $5.5 million project wraps up. The Cottrell Bridge carries approximately 4,300 vehicles per day.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
This bridge replacement project is made possible by RhodeWorks and the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Improvement Act. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island’s infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.

Posted inCity & Government

Westerly to conduct Mosquito Larvicide spraying this week

by Community Submission

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced the Town of Westerly will begin aerial application of mosquito larvicide across 500 acres of Chapman Swamp and nearby swamplands by helicopter on Wednesday, May 11, weather permitting. Spraying will take place between 8 AM and 2 PM. In the event of inclement weather, a rain date will occur on the first day after May 11 when weather permits.
Bti, a naturally-occurring bacterium applied in granular form to control mosquito breeding in swamps and other breeding habitats, will be applied. Bti is used to kill developing mosquito larvae by being applied to standing water where those larvae are found. It is an environmentally-friendly product whose toxins specifically affect the larvae of only mosquitoes, black flies, and fungus gnats and does not pose a risk to human health. Larviciding is recommended as part of the state’s action plan to control West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and considered an effective strategy to reduce mosquito populations and related disease risk.
In most communities, the state recommends applying larvicide by hand to roadside catch basins. In the Chapman Swamp area of Westerly, aerial application is recommended given the area’s remote location and large footprint. Mosquitoes carrying the EEE virus were found in Chapman Swamp in 1996, 2003, 2019 and 2020. Since 1997, the Town has applied Bti annually to help control mosquito breeding. Additional dates for spraying may be scheduled by the Town; the targeted areas include portions of Chapman Swamp and swampland near Hespar Drive.
For mosquito prevention tips, visit the Rhode Island Department of Health’s website.
For more information on DEM programs and services, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@RhodeIsland.DEM).