Added Sparrows Point access aimed at improving safety

By ROB OATLEY
Posted 11/7/19

As a means of enhancing safety, Carpionato Group will be creating a new entrance and exit to the Sparrows Point complex on Sparrows Point, Ward 8 Councilman Anthony Sinapi said in a recent interview. Sinapi said he learned of concerns when

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Added Sparrows Point access aimed at improving safety

Posted

As a means of enhancing safety, Carpionato Group will be creating a new entrance and exit to the Sparrows Point complex on Sparrows Point, Ward 8 Councilman Anthony Sinapi said in a recent interview.

Sinapi said he learned of concerns when campaigning for office. Pastor Bob Ackron, a resident of Sparrows Point in a letter to the Beacon, also raised those issues. He pointed out how dangerous it was for residents to turn left from Sparrows Point onto Cowesett Road.

Sinapi expects the project of paving an alternate entrance/exit onto Hardig Road should be completed within the next month. Carpionato Group could not be reached for comment.

Sparrows Point I, II, and III have always been tricky to enter and egress. This is due to shrubbery blocking views, speeding on Cowesett Road and the relatively short gap for traffic to enter Cowesett Road.

In the letter, Ackron stated how hard it is for residents to pull out of the establishments and ultimately calls the whole situation a “nightmare” and that it is “falling on deaf ears.” He goes on to state that “This is an old, old problem that has been brought to the attention of the politicians in the city of Warwick and the state many times and nothing ever happens.”

Ackron writes he and his wife have experienced this nightmare for “four years.” In the letter he also gives resolutions to the problem such as, “Needing signs saying blind driveway ahead at 777 Cowesett Road approaching Sparrows Point II coming from either direction. Brush needs to be kept cut so you can see oncoming traffic,” and “At the end of Hardig Road and Cowesett Road need to make that a three-way stop.”

Since the letter was published more than 15 residents of Sparrows Point called Sinapi to voice their opinions and concerns about the situation.

“I had a traffic study done by Aaron C. Kay of the Warwick Police” Sinapi stated, “and I wanted to get a traffic light there to be the solution, but the study indicated that it would cost half a million, which is ridiculously expensive. It also said that the light wasn’t warranted because there had been only 13 minor accidents there since 2016.” 

When asked about the possibility of placing a three-way stop sign in front of Sparrows Point, Sinapi said, “My biggest concern is the sheer number of people turning left out of Sparrows Point, and that I want to do something with the intention of making it safer instead of making it worse. A great example is the Greenwich Village Apartments, people were blowing through the traffic light. So, I didn’t want to create an issue to where here are these traffic systems that could potentially get people T-Boned because the person didn’t see it. If you have people relying on that for safety, and then end up getting hit, its worry some.”

Sinapi said, “The shrubbery is being maintained, the traffic enforcement will increase, and an opening will be installed on Harding Road to Sparrow II and III, so that people aren’t taking that dangerous left turn.” He also said that, “We had some signs installed on Hardig and Cowesett Roads such as Hidden Driveway and Caution.”

 When told about the advancements being made toward the situation, Ackron stated that he had seen the caution signs, “Which were good.” However, he was still reluctant about the problem, stating “I don’t see any progress of paving the new opening, but we’ll see just how long it takes to get that done. I still look at it like we’re forgotten about by the city because politicians will wine and dine here, but they don’t care.”

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