Council continues DOT permit for Route 37 work near State Farm Cemetery Number 1

The Cranston public works committee on Aug. 5 continued consideration of a Rhode Island Department of Transportation permit to allow roadway work within 25 feet of State Farm Cemetery Number 1 near Route 37.

David Walsh, assistant director of administrative services for RIDOT, told the committee the pavement and guardrail work is part of a larger $143,000,000 project in Cranston and Warwick and said design-build plan sheets and prior archaeological reviews exist. "The work is part of the $143,000,000 project in Cranston and Warwick," Walsh said, adding the team can provide survey plan sheets and that required NEPA archaeological surveys were completed as part of the federal grant process. Mark McHugh, also with RIDOT, said the construction in the cemetery area is limited to milling and an overlay and that the portion in question lies in the 25-foot buffer, not inside the cemetery boundary.

Committee members pressed for written documentation showing exact cemetery limits and a field-level operations plan explaining how crews will ensure they do not encroach on burial grounds during excavation or guardrail replacement. "I think we would like to see the archeological survey, and then just a quick phasing breakdown, if you could write up a quick construction phasing breakdown for inspections to ensure that you're not encroaching in the line," said Councilwoman Graziano. The chair recommended the DOT send plan sheets and a construction phasing/inspection plan and continued the item to the next public works meeting so the council can review those materials before voting.

The motion to continue was made and seconded and passed on a roll call; staff were asked to provide the design-build plan sheets, the NEPA archaeological documentation, and a written operations/phasing plan ahead of the next hearing.