Lighting slated for Providence riverwalk and pedestrian bridge

PROVIDENCE The I-195 Redevelopment District Commission has approved spending $235,000 for new lighting along a portion of the riverwalk and the Providence River pedestrian bridge. 

The funding is in addition to $500,000 the commission had already approved for infrastructure improvements to the 5-acre West Side portion of the park that is the downtown landing for the pedestrian bridge. Lighting was not part of the initial funding approved by the commission.

“The commission believes that lighting is important for public safety and voted to increase the original allocation [by $235,000] to add lighting along the new stretch of riverwalk,” said commission spokesperson Cara Cromwell. 

Cromwell said the project was delayed due to utility work being conducted on the seawall but is now moving forward. The commission plans to reuse 14 light poles for the new lighting that are being replaced as part of the electrical upgrades being made on the east side of the park. 

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The commission and Wexford Science & Technology, the Baltimore-based firm that controls multiple properties in the district, including Point225 and South Street Landing, agreed to evenly split any costs for the riverwalk extension and lighting up to $1 million, with any additional costs picked up by Wexford. 

Though initially projected to cost $1 million, the total cost has now increased to $1.8 million, with the remaining $800,000 to be paid by Wexford, Cromwell said. 

(Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com)