Many steps above

PROVIDENCE — State and local officials on Friday cut the ribbon on the long-awaited pedestrian bridge that connects the east and west sides of the city over the Providence River and ties together an area of downtown that the governor has billed as a focal point for business in the capital city.

“We have begun what will be for generations a real hub of economic activity,” said Gov. Gina Raimondo, referring to the Wexford Innovation Center, which opened last month across from the bridge, “economic activity of high-wage jobs in high-growth industries of today and the future which will provide economic security for the people of Rhode Island.”

The $21.9-million pedestrian bridge was completed about 10 months behind schedule and at a price tag $8.7 million higher than was projected in March 2016.

Inspiration for the bridge began in the 1990s when it was proposed as a simple structure to be built on the granite piers of the old Route 195 bridge, said Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti.

At the time, the bridge was projected to cost around $3 million, according to Lisbeth Pettengill, spokeswoman for the department.

Around the year 2000, the department added $2 million to the price to enhance the design, but construction was put off. In the fall of 2010, the city, under Mayor David Cicilline, decided to hold a design competition for the bridge. The following year, the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission asked the city to halt the design competition because it wanted to look into different ways to use the land, Pettengill said.

In 2014, under Mayor Angel Taveras, the city picked a design that bumped the total cost of the bridge up to $8 million. By 2016, the estimated price had increased to about $13 million in part because engineers would have to raise the height of the bridge to account for rising sea levels. When the department put the design out to bid, the responses came in much higher than initially predicted, Pettengill said. The lowest bid the agency received was $16.9 million.

Construction on the bridge finally began in the spring of 2018, and the final cost of the project increased to $21.9 million due to changes in the price of steel and rising cost of construction.

“What has emerged is the architectural marvel surrounded by parks that we see here today,” Alviti said. “Because of all the unique architectural elements, such as lighting underneath the rails, built-in chess boards, the hardwood decks, the decks made of a durable and long-lasting Brazilian wood, decorative planters and special seating areas and terraces, this bridge will both be a means of transportation for pedestrians [and] also a destination for public enjoyment.”

The project was paid for entirely with revenue from land sales by the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, the board in charge of overseeing development of land made vacant by the relocation of Route 195 in 2007.

On Friday morning, RIDOT transferred ownership of the pedestrian bridge to the city of Providence for $1, according to an agreement signed by Mayor Jorge Elorza and Alviti. The city will be responsible for maintenance of the bridge; it has budgeted up to $92,500 for maintenance during the first year, according to Elorza's office.

“This bridge is also important because, symbolically, this was a way for cars to high speed from one part of town to the next,” Elorza said. “Now, it’s not just a way for pedestrians and cyclists to travel ... but it's actually going to be a destination.”

After officials cut the ribbon, dozens of people streamed over the bridge. Some said it reminded them of something they might see in Paris or New York City.

 “It’s really great to take in the views and see the thoughtful design,” said Joe Pari, a 47-year-old Providence resident. “It brings me a little bit of thought about The High Line in New York City. It has a very sophisticated design to it.”

  — mlist@providencejournal.com

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