Home Economy Government R.I. gets $1.5M to remove sunken barge in Providence River

R.I. gets $1.5M to remove sunken barge in Providence River

By

Christopher Allen

-

09/05/2024

IMG_1539-003 — U.S. SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, left, and Gov. Daniel J. McKee are pictured during a tour of the Washington Bridge in February. Behind them at left is the sunken barge planned to be removed and repurposed into a work of art using $1.5 million in federal funding. / PBN PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER ALLEN

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Environmental Management is getting $1.5 million to remove a 113-foot-long sunken barge from the Providence River and salvage the remains into a work of art, the state’s congressional delegation announced Thursday. Calling the structure “an eyesore,” the joint announcement said the federal grant is part of the National Oceanic

Already a Subscriber? Log in

To Continue Reading This Article

Become a Providence Business News subscriber and get immediate access to all of our premier content and much more.

Learn More and Become a Subscriber

Critical RI business news and analysis updated daily.
1 year of print (26 issues).
Unlimited access to all subscriber only content on our website, on any device.
Free email alerts.
Annual Book of Lists Print Edition.
All special issues produced during subscription term.

Click Here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article

PBN Branded Content

Federal and State Nursing Home Staffing Mandates

Staffing has always been an ongoing challenge in the long-term care industry. However, since the…

Learn More

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Environmental Management is getting $1.5 million to remove a 113-foot-long sunken barge from the Providence River and salvage the remains into a work of art, the state's congressional delegation announced Thursday. Calling the structure “an eyesore,” the joint announcement said the federal grant is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program. RIDEM will partner with the nonprofit industrial education center The Steel Yard “to engage local community groups and high school students to help transform materials recovered from the barge into community-informed art and amenities for a public waterfront access point at the end of Public Street,” according to the news release. Weighing in at 150 tons and located at the end of Public Street in South Providence, the barge sank into the river in 2017 during a severe nor’easter, leaving the structure mostly submerged save for its mounted crane. It was owned by the now-defunct MG Marine Inc. For years a lack of funding had prevented its removal, according to state and federal officials. The state in February released a request for proposals to remove the barge. Bids from two vendors – Northstar Marine, Inc. and Costello Dismantling Co. Inc. – are under evaluation, according to the state's online procurement database. “The crane's removal is long overdue, and I'm excited to see what our state's talented artists and students create to turn this blight into beauty,” said Gov. Daniel J. McKee. In a statement, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said the structure had become a safety hazard and praised "a coordinated effort to salvage the material so The Steel Yard can transform it into engaging works of art.” Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I., said the project will turn "a derelict barge into beautiful décor” and “help clean up Providence’s waterfront and make it safer for vessels.” Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.