Warwick Road Repair Help: $5.2M RoadRestore Funds

WARWICK, RI – Governor Dan McKee, RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr., and Mayor Frank Picozzi and other officials met at Gamm Theater Wednesday morning to announce $5.2 million in matching RhodeRestore Warwick road repair funds.

State-wide for FY25, the state has allocated $7 million to cities and towns through McKee’s RhodeRestore program, which provides matching funds to local road projects, including recent Warwick road repair work. For FY25, state funding will be matched at a ratio of 33 percent state funds and 67 percent local funds.

Warwick road repair assistance for 34 projects

Gamm Theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, the widest and longest municipal road in Warwick. The city initiated a $1.6 million project that paved a total of 6.1 lane miles from I-95 to Main Avenue. That Warwick road repair is in progress, as the road’s surface has been recently milled in preparation for resurfacing.

Jefferson Boulevard is an important commercial corridor linking several types of businesses, including shipping companies, financial institutions, retail and wholesale businesses, and the TF Green commuter rail station, noted McKee’s office in a statement about the RhodeRestore program’s contribution to the City of Warwick’s repair project there.

City-wide, Warwick has  completed 34 projects using $1.42 million in the state’s FY2024 funding. The total value of projects in Warwick is $5.2 million.

 “The RhodeRestore program greatly stretched our paving budget which enabled us to take on some large projects in the city and for that we are extremely grateful,” Picozzi said.

North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi and South Kingstown Town Administrator James Manni, as well as Warwick Representative Joseph Solomon Jr. (D-District 22,Warwick) and Senator Matthew LaMountain (D-District 31, Warwick, Cranston), joined the press conference at the Jefferson Boulevard theater to highlight progress and the new funding.

The $7 million is being divided evenly among all 39 municipalities; each is eligible to receive up to $184,000. Cities and towns across the state are already submitting their applications; nearly 130 have been approved to date, with more than 100 more under review.

“The Municipal Road Grant Program has been a resounding success for every community in this state,” said Representative Joseph Solomon Jr.. “I’m proud to have worked with the rest of the General Assembly to provide this funding which has been well-utilized for so many projects throughout the state. I’m gratified that this money has been put to good use, and I look forward to seeing more of these projects in the future.”

“Ailing roads and sidewalks are a serious issue that impacts quality of life in neighborhoods across Rhode Island,” said Senator Matthew LaMountain. “The RhodeRestore Program is an outstanding example of how state and local partnership can effectively address these challenges. I am extremely grateful for the support this program is providing to help improve essential infrastructure in the City of Warwick and across our state,” Lamountain said, referencing the Warwick road repair work.