Waterfront Dr. development helping stimulate area growth

With the completion of the Warren Ave. connector rapidly approaching, the city now has the first portion of Waterfront Dr. in place to service the southern waterfront district south of I-195. One of the first projects that will take advantage of the new connector or Phase 1 of Waterfront Dr., will be the Tockwotten Home. Tockwotten will be a 148 unit assisted living facility that will resemble a seaside resort. It will become a feature along the waterfront south of the bridge and will act as an anchor in support of additional development in this area. This project would not have become a reality without the Waterfront Dr. project. Waterfront Dr. will serve as the primary transportation spine for the entire waterfront district from Phillipsdale to Bold Point. Its completion is essential to carrying out the city's plans for redevelopment. In its early design stage, the roadway was conceived as a single, cohesive design that included the roadway itself, a railroad line for freight rail service and a bicycle path component. Due to fiscal constraints identified by the R.I. DOT, it became obvious that this design would not be practical from a budgetary standpoint. Due to changes in Providence and Worcester railroad's development plans, later designs were able to eliminate the rail south of Dexter Rd. In addition, designers modified plans, creating a less elaborate phased development approach that made it possible to construct the roadway more affordably. With the Warren Ave. connector nearly completed, the city is anxious to see the progression of the next phase, the Dexter Rd. connector. With $2 million in U.S. EDA funds in place, and the development needs of a host of properties from the Washington Bridge to Dexter Rd. reliant on this section of roadway, the city is hopeful that adequate funds can be procured. The city will continue to investigate innovative options to finance the construction of Waterfront Dr. James Moran is the economic planner for the department of planning and development, city of East Providence.