On schedule

Airport projects on time, neighbors who put up with dust to get gift certificates

John Howell
Posted 11/27/14

Homeowners in the Lakeshore Drive neighborhood, who found themselves in a dust storm last fall as a result of the relocated Winslow Park fields, received a token for their aggravation this week from …

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On schedule

Airport projects on time, neighbors who put up with dust to get gift certificates

Posted

Homeowners in the Lakeshore Drive neighborhood, who found themselves in a dust storm last fall as a result of the relocated Winslow Park fields, received a token for their aggravation this week from the contractor.

What’s more, according to Paul McDonough, vice president of engineering, Lynch Construction is “buttoning up” the site for the winter, with the expectation of completing the loam and seeding early next spring. The fields should be ready for the Apponaug Girls Softball and Warwick Firefighters Soccer by July 1, according to Kelly Fredericks, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation on Tuesday.

“There have been some ups and downs with the heat and the dry weather,” McDonough said of construction in the summer.Despite efforts to control dust with watering trucks, strong westerly winds in September left the neighborhood under a cloud. Houses, cars and yards were coated with dust, forcing people to close windows and depend on air conditioning for relief from the heat. With the loss of trees that served as a buffer, there were complaints of increased noise and aircraft exhaust.

Fredericks said RIAC and Lynch looked at complaints on a case-by-case basis, concluding that they wanted to do something for the 20 or so homes that abut the new Winslow Park. He said Lynch bought $250 gift cards for each of the homeowners to be handed out this week.

Fredericks doesn’t expect this will please everybody. He said acceptance of the certificates is not a waiver of a homeowner’s ability to collect restitution for valid grievances and called certificates “a small token” of RIAC’s acknowledgement of an unfortunate circumstance.

After the interview, Fredericks followed up with an email. It read,in part, “Given the magnitude of the Winslow Park Project and its proximity to Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s (RIAC) neighbors, RIAC and its contractor decided to express their thanks to those residents directly abutting the project. RIAC will be reaching out to these neighbors on a case by case basis in a good faith effort to promote strong community bonds.”

McDonough said the three soccer fields have been sodded. Sod has also been used in some areas in an effort to reduce dust. He said “waddles,” sausage-looking rolls designed to prevent erosion and control disbursement of soils, are being used as “protective items.” Most of the drainage work is completed; topsoil continues to be screened for rocks and roots, and the foundation for the concession stand has been poured. Construction on the stand will take place over the winter. The single remaining house in the area cleared years ago will be demolished over the winter.

On a related project – the relocation of Main Avenue so as to extend Runway 5-23 to 8,700 feet – RIAC continues to demolish homes in the path of the realigned road. The road will loop around the runway extension and run through a portion of the existing fields, which won’t close until the new ones open.

McDonough said work on Main Avenue would be completed without interrupting traffic. The new section of road would be tied in when it is completed. Construction of the runway extension will start in the spring of 2016 and be completed by December of 2017.

Another ongoing project – extended safety areas on the shorter cross-wind runway – the runway would reopen in early December for the winter. Some earth moving at the east end of the runway will continue in the winter. As some Buckeye Brook wetlands are being lost to the project, RIAC will restore wetlands north of the brook culvert and Lakeshore Drive bridge. The culvert bridge will also be replaced.

As Lakeshore Drive is the only access to the neighborhood, McDonough said one lane of traffic would be kept open throughout construction.

McDonough said contractors would also remove the giant excavator that remains stuck in the boggy material near the runway safety area. At one time two huge machines were stuck at the site.

“They will pull it out, eventually,” he said.

In another project – the $33.2 million glycol recovery system and plant – Fredericks is optimistic about the March 31, 2015 deadline. The system is designed to capture deicing fluid before it enters the Buckeye Brook.

Collectively, the projects represent a $250 million investment in airport improvements.

Asked about the financing of the work, Fredericks replied, “We have a plan of financing in place.” He said the plan is being followed and he didn’t foresee problems.

In his later email, he added, “As with all construction projects, there may be other impacts associated with the runway expansion project over the next few years. It is important to remember that RIAC remains committed to working with the community and keeping the community/neighbors abreast of developments.”For project updates visit pvdairport.com/construction. For questions or comments, call 691-2707 or email construction@pvdairport.com.”

Comments

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  • Reality

    These people don't need gift certificates.....they need to have their homes purchased. What a man made disaster.

    RIAC is placing our children at risk by locating ball fields on the airport grounds. This location was chosen strictly for money savings.

    Don't forget Councilwoman Vella Wilkinson helped create this disaster.

    Friday, November 28, 2014 Report this

  • RoyDempsey

    Total destruction in your quality of life from this day forward. Ya, $250 should be enough.

    Sunday, November 30, 2014 Report this

  • dickcoutu

    Only the beginning... only the beginning. I lived across from the current Winslow Park softball fields since day one.

    They haven't seen anything yet! The $250.00 each should be more like $250,000.00 each!

    The airport bought me out! Thank god!

    Tuesday, December 2, 2014 Report this