Warren council approves resolution asking General Assembly to name East Bay Bike Path bridge for Corporal Richard C. Bruley

The Warren Town Council voted to approve a resolution requesting that the Rhode Island General Assembly name the new East Bay Bike Path bridge spanning the Palmer River the “Corporal Richard C. Bruley Bridge” and authorized the town council president to sign two state bills related to that naming.

The council’s resolution asks the General Assembly to approve Senate Bill S1062 and House Bill H63‑23, both described in the resolution as measures relating to the General Assembly’s committee on naming new state buildings, bridges, edifices and other state constructions. The resolution, read into the record by the council president, says the bridge is a new state structure that partly lies in Warren and partly in Barrington and will span the Palmer River.

The resolution cites Corporal Richard C. Bruley, a Warren native who “honorably served in the United States Army in the Vietnam War.” The text presented to the council states that Corporal Bruley served with the “190 eighth Light Infantry Brigade, first Battalion, 40 sixth Infantry, D Company” and that he died in combat on 05/20/1970 in what the record lists as “Buyington Province.”

After the resolution was read, a council member moved to approve; another member seconded. The motion passed by voice vote: a council member answered “Aye.” The resolution states it becomes effective immediately upon passage by the Warren Town Council.

Senator Frelag contacted the town to request support for naming the structure after Corporal Bruley, according to the remarks read into the record. The council did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript excerpt and did not specify a resolution number beyond the council’s adopted local resolution and the two state bill identifiers noted in the text.

The council adjourned after the vote.