Economic Recovery Act Helps Fund Road Extension At Quonset Point

Bikers and walkers, as well as drivers, should benefit from the new overpass now rising behind the Lowe's of North Kingstown at Quonset Business Park.

The overpass serves a 2,000-foot extension of Romano Vineyard Way that will lift traffic over both Davisville Road and the railroad to the Port of Davisville. The new road will also serve as a connector between Quonset's 64-acre Gateway section and its Commerce Park, which offers 156 acres of developable land.

The 55-foot-wide extension is being built with bike access in mind, said Rhoades, a spokesman for the Quonset Development Corporation. While the road lacks a formal bike path, the "bike-friendly" shoulders leave six feet for two-wheeled traffic access and five feet for pedestrians.

Eighty percent of the $4.85-million project is funded by a $3.88-million grant from the Economic Development Administration. "The QDC covers the rest," the spokesman noted. The improved access is expected to better serve existing tenants and attract new ones, he added.

Low bidder John Rocchio Construction of Smithfield, R.I. is constructing the extension and overpass. Work began in April and in the second quarter of this year, the project generated 8.89 full-time-equivalent jobs, said Alderson.  Completion is expected in November of 2011.