Council authorizes 90% design for Atlantic Beach District streetscape; undergrounding of utilities remains separate and costly option

The Town of Middletown council on March 3 voted to advance the Atlantic Beach District (ABD) Streetscapes project from 30% to 90% design and to include the project in the town’s prioritized submission to the State Transportation Improvement Program.

Town Planner Ron Walanski and consulting engineer Sean Giatis reviewed the 30% plans, which propose concrete sidewalks on both sides of Aquidneck Avenue, continuous sidewalk on Wave Avenue, widened sidewalks in key areas, 11-foot travel lanes, 4-foot bike lanes and a minimum five-foot sidewalk. The design will meet newer accessibility guidance requiring a 48-inch clear zone between obstructions such as utility poles, mailboxes and hydrants. Renderings presented show potential decorative lighting, street trees and public-space enhancements.

Walanski stressed that advancing to 90% design does not preclude a later decision to underground utilities. "Proceeding to 90% of the streetscapes design plans does not preclude the potential for the undergrounding," he said, noting that Rhode Island Energy would have to complete a separate design for any undergrounding work and that undergrounding historically has had significant cost and technical constraints.

Cost and scope questions. A resident and business advocate, Valerie Galb, told the council that property owners and merchants in the district consider undergrounding the top priority and urged the council to ensure the streetscape is not executed without resolving the undergrounding question. The transcript includes a cited 2020 estimate for undergrounding the relevant utility circuit at about $20 million; Walanski and staff said that an updated, firm cost would require Rhode Island Energy to perform an engineering design at the town’s expense. The utility has indicated it expects undergrounding to proceed by entire circuit, not piecemeal segments, though the council discussed an alternative mid-ground of consolidating and relocating poles to improve visual appearance if undergrounding cannot be funded.

Project limits and schedule. The project runs from the Newport city line and Dunlap Wheeler Park north along Aquidneck Avenue through Wave Avenue to roughly 300 feet north of Newport Avenue and would include drainage and stormwater-treatment elements (the Newport Avenue reconfiguration creates space for a potential underground stormwater treatment measure). Town staff said construction funding, if secured, is likely a few years away even if the project is placed on the STIP list; the 90% design step is intended to make the proposal competitive for state and federal construction funding.

Ending The council authorized transition to 90% design and directed staff to incorporate public input. The utility-undergrounding question remains unresolved and will require separate design work, updated pricing from Rhode Island Energy and identification of construction funding before the town can commit to undergrounding as part of the streetscape project.