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Narragansett Parkway Getting Repaved for Gaspee Days Parade

[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] The Gloucester Light Infantry Military Militia fire their muskets at the start of the Gaspee Days Parade June 9, 2018.

[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] The Gloucester Light Infantry Military Militia fire their muskets at the start of the Gaspee Days Parade June 9, 2018.
[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] The Gloucester Light Infantry Military Militia fire their muskets at the start of the Gaspee Days Parade June 9, 2018.
WARWICK, RI — On Saturday, Warwick began repaving Narragansett Parkway so it will be newly surfaced in time for the Gaspee Days Parade.

The cost is projected at around $680,000, which RIDOT will reimburse Warwick for within 30 days, according to Mayor Frank Picozzi’s Media Coordinator Elizabeth Tufts.

T. Miozzi Construction is performing the work.

According to the Mayor’s office, Rep. Joe McNamara contacted RIDOT to ask if they could get the project done in time for Gaspee Days. They said they could only make that happen with assistance from the city.  Mayor Frank Picozzi was happy to oblige.

“Representative McNamara contacted the Mayor and the Mayor was happy to get the city involved,” said Tufts.

‘This will allow the Gaspee Days Parade, which has the governor, Congressman, and other dignitaries marching, to take place on completely smooth roadways.’

The Rhode Island Energy Company recently paved a section of the State-owned portion of Narragansett Parkway in Warwick where they had performed utility work, said Ralph Valente, communications director at RIDOT. Two sections of the road were left unpaved (no utility work was performed there) and were in poor condition. Those sections  were a 1.1 mile stretch from Spring Green Avenue to Marine Avenue and a 1,600-ft. section from Bay Side Avenue to Bridge Street.

“McNamara contacted RIDOT to ask if we could repave those two remaining unpaved sections of the road prior to their upcoming historic Gaspee Days Parade that’s taking place on Saturday, June 10. RIDOT already planned to pave the road, but it was scheduled for next year: We could not perform the work in that short of a time frame,” Valente said.

“The City of Warwick, and Mayor Picozzi, said that they could get it done quickly, but requested that RIDOT reimburse them for the cost of the work being done on state roadways. We agreed,” Valente said, “This will allow the Gaspee Days Parade, which has the governor, Congressman, and other dignitaries marching, to take place on completely smooth roadways.”

Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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