It was no secret that Providence officials and the R.I. Department of Transportation had differing views of how the deteriorating Route 6-10 connector should be replaced. So when Gov. Gina M. Raimondo appeared to cut short the public discussion in September when she told the DOT to initiate a replacement, it left advocates of a more creative redesign focused on reconnecting city neighborhoods wondering what happened.
Did Raimondo overreact to reports citing the deteriorating bridge conditions, especially the Huntington Avenue Viaduct Bridge? That will depend on how she responds to an alternative city plan announced Oct. 3 to create a parkway that would reconnect neighborhoods now divided by the 6-10 connector.
As this week's cover story details, Raimondo's safety concerns about the Huntington bridge and the larger 6-10 connector are rooted in a paper trail of inspection reports and recommendations citing deteriorating conditions. The tipping point appeared to be a Federal Highway Administration official's summer assessment that the Huntington bridge's "rehabilitation or replacement" should be given a high priority by the state.
Raimondo was right to ensure discussion on alternatives did not drag on for months or longer. But the safety concerns are not so dire as to warrant shutting off public discussion of the city's alternative. There would appear to be room to put the Huntington bridge on a fast track to repair and still consider at least some of the city's proposals for the rest of the 6-10. •
