East Bay Bike Path Closures Expected Due to Sewer Construction

Cyclists looking to take a winter ride on the scenic East Bay Bike Path, will need to take their trek to the streets - at least in East Providence. The city's is installing a new sewage system and sewer force main that will close down 2.5 miles of the East Providence's path between Nov. 1 and April of next year.

The project will help stop sewage overflow at Watchemoket Cove, home to the city's largest largest pump station. Work will be done along Veterans Memorial Parkway, ending at the treatment plant in Riverside.

"The systems we had in place were outdated, and during heavy rain events, we would experience sewage overflows along the cove and the pipeline, as well," said East Providence Public Works Director Stephen Coutu by telephone.

The path was chosen as it was a "straight shot" to the Riverside facility, and would minimize complications for city residents.

"Another alternative would have been to put the pipe through Pawtucket Ave, but the traffic implications would have been too severe," Coutu said, adding that another benefit of using the Bike Path was its reduced usage in the winter months.

The work will be done by United Water, a company that has already done work with the the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). 

Coutu says that the city has made no formal detour arrangements and that discussions with DEM and DOT yielded no discussions on establishing an alternate route. 

According to DOT, experienced cyclists attempting to bypass the closure using Veterans Memorial Parkway, Pawtucket Avenue and Bullocks Point Avenue should exercise caution due to high traffic volumes and very narrow shoulders. Recreational cyclists and other path users are urged to use other segments of the bikeway south of Riverside Square.