PROVIDENCE – The city is getting a $7.8 million federal grant to support accessibility and design improvements and resiliency upgrades to the Providence Riverwalk and Waterplace Park, according to the state’s congressional delegation.
The grant is made available through the U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity program.
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With the funding, the city plans to build a new ADA-accessible, shared-use path between Francis and Steeple streets and create seven new ADA access points to the Riverwalk. The project will also address public safety concerns and improve pedestrian and bicycle accessibility.
“This generous grant is a game changer for the city and will allow us to execute on our collective vision for reclaiming the waterfront for our community members,” Mayor Jorge O. Elorza said Friday in a news release. “New improvements made possible by this funding will greatly increase connectivity to our Urban Trail Network and dramatically enhance ADA accessibility in our downtown neighborhood.”
Riverwalk has contended with more frequent flooding in recent years. Planned upgrades for the area will address future sea level rise by raising the Riverwalk, improving stormwater runoff systems and fixing structural deficiencies in sections of the Riverwalk’s walls, according to the release.
“As the city thinks about ways to upgrade the area around the river, this federal funding will ensure those plans include ways to make Providence safer, more accessible and resilient,” said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. “It will fund environmental assessments, economic development analysis and community engagement, with the goal of making Providence more flood resistant and building a more sustainable future.”
