Post Road Construction: Winding Down, But Back (Alas!) Next Year

Construction on Post Road in North Kingstown is complicated, that’s the short answer. Between sewer line placement, gas line replacement, and state Department of Transportation guidelines, there’s a lot going on.

As if you didn’t know that already. But, really, all most of us care about is: when will it get better?

According to NK Public Works Director Phil Bergeron, the town’s sewer project is “reaching its conclusion" – for this year anyway.

That said, there is still one ball up in the air, as town officials wait to hear from DOT on whether or not they can put down a temporary overlay on the section of Post Road from Maxwell Drive to Dana Drive. That stretch will need to be fully reconstructed because the sewer line and gas line work have disrupted the concrete slabs underneath to an extent they need to be removed.

Bergeron said because of the significance of total reconstruction of that stretch, they’ve decided to wait until the second phase of the project next year next year to take that on, when sidewalks and curbing are added. In the meantime the road will have the temporary overlay.

“Our goal is to have that done by the end of August,” said Bergeron of the temporary overlay.

Then there’s the stretch between Maxwell Drive and Quonset (Route 403). The DOT removed concrete from underneath that stretch of road so now the ground needs to settle, said Bergeron.

“That will be fully restored 90 days from now,” he said, putting completion for that stretch into November.

Once these sections and the section by Smith’s Castle being worked on by National Grid are done, things will be better … for a bit.

“Then there’s phase two,” Bergeron said, which he hopes will begin in spring 2014. “We’ll be ripping up the road from Dana Drive to Smith’s Castle next year.”

DOT is also going to be putting Post Road between Wickford and Quonset on a "diet," making it one lane each way, with a permanent center turning lane. The idea behind that is to slow traffic down, improving safety but also – it is hoped – boosting business at stores on that stretch. 

The Town Council approved the "diet" on a temporary basis at a meeting earlier this summer. After three months, the town will be able to ask DOT to return the road to its former four-lane configuration.

Beyond that, it’s up to the Town Council and, possibly, voters. “If we decide to sewer Wickford, we could be going from Smith’s Castle to West Main,” with construction, Bergeron said.