Ever since Mayor Frank Picozzi and Jon Savage, chair of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, dined on Philly cheese steak sandwiches at Chelo’s in February, the volume has been turned down over construction of a south air cargo hub south of the airport terminal and its potential impact on ground traffic and local roads. RIAC agreed to the construction of a roundabout in a vacant lot off Post Road enabling tractor trailer trucks to access the Airport Connector and Route 95 without circling though terminal arrivals or using Post Road or Main Avenue to the south.

On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued notice of a Supplemental Finding of No Significant Impact of the roundabout to its June 2023 approval of RIAC’s environmental assessment of the then $100 million project.

A supplement to the original plan would not have been undertaken if Picozzi had gone along with RICA verbal promises to divert heavy cargo traffic from local roads. He wanted to see plans for the system and to have them included in the FAA’s findings of no significant impact. Further pressuring RIAC to address the effect on local traffic, the city filed in Washington DC District Court for a review of the initial “go ahead” FAA findings of more than a year ago.

Now seemingly RIAC has a clear runway to continue construction of the cargo hub, or does it?

From his initial review, City Planner Thomas Kravitz has no issues with the Supplemental Environmental Assessment issued by the FAA although it was premature to say whether the city would withdraw its court appeal for a review. Additionally, he said, the city and RIAC have yet to sign a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] as Picozzi has requested. From the start, Picozzi insisted on a signed document ensuring diversion of cargo traffic [FedEx and UPS trucks] from local roads. His concern is twofold: use of a potential access to the cargo facility from Main Avenue that would put more trucks in largely residential Greenwood and additional commercial traffic on Post Road in the vicinity of City Centre. The mayor notes that after decades in planning and construction of two hotels, residential development is occurring [an estimated 1,000 units are in the process of being built or on the drawing board] in City Centre. Increased heavy commercial traffic he sees as inhibiting diverse development within the intermodal zone and a vibrant City Centre.

In her notice, Cheryl Quaine, environmental protection specialist for Federal Aviation Administration New England Region, writes, “The FAA determined that the changes were substantial and warranted the preparation of supplemental analysis in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F. RIAC’s proposed intersection improvements along Airport Connector Road (Proposed Project Modifications) at PVD were not originally addressed in the 2023 EA. The Supplemental EA addresses only those changes associated with the roundabout.”

Other concerns are being raised.

Warwick resident Richard Langseth, who closely follows airport developments and has gone so far as to personally take sightings of the Airport Connector overpasses argues there isn’t clearance for trailer trucks to use the designed roundabout to access the connector. He claims to make that work, the Evans Avenue roadbed would need to be lowered by six feet creating a depression requiring extensive work and possible shoring of connector support stanchions. He said on Friday after talking to the FAA, he is considering to file as an “intervener.”

As of deadline Wednesday, RIAC did not respond to questions as to the projected cost of the rotary, when construction would start or the issue of clearance raised by Langseth.