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October 12, 2024
RIDOT Hosts 8-Minute Community Mtg. on the Washington Bridge: “It was a slap in the face,” says neighbor
Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) officials promised a “town hall” to address residents’ concerns about noise and potential pollution from the demolition of the Washington Bridge.
The online meeting was scheduled by RIDOT for 6 p.m. Friday before a three-day holiday weekend.
Led by David Walsh, RIDOT deputy project management manager, the presentation lasted 8 minutes.
RIDOT did not allow the public to speak and refused to answer questions during the forum, which began at 6:07 p.m. and ended at 6:15 p.m.
Walsh was involved in the 6/10 contamination case. READ MORE ABOUT WALSH BELOW.
“This meeting was a slap in the face,” said Lanre Akinsiku, one of the Fox Point residents who lives a few hundred feet from the Washington Bridge.
“It’s an absolute insult to the neighbors of Fox Point,” Akinsiku said of the unwillingness to discuss the project with the community.
Lawmakers respond
State Senator Sam Zurier, who represents the Fox Point neighborhood, was critical of RIDOT's handling of the event. “RIDOT officials failed to notify neighbors before the demolition. They don’t follow their own guidelines,” Zurier said in an interview with GoLocal.
However, Representative Chris Blazejewski said he believes RIDOT will respond.
“I attended the virtual town hall hosted by RIDOT this evening along with many of my neighbors. While I would have liked the town hall to have provided more detail and an opportunity for live questions and answers, I am confident that RIDOT will do so.” We are responding to the serious concerns raised about the demolition project and will work to mitigate impacts to the neighborhood, including noise, dust, debris and traffic,” Blazejewski said in a statement to GoLocal.
However, GoLocal drone footage shows that RIDOT has failed to control the impact of dust on the Fox Point neighborhood.
Before Friday's event, RIDOT promised to involve the community in the meeting – but then it stopped there.
In a letter to the two lawmakers, RIDOT wrote:
Dear Representative Blazejewski and Senator Zurier,
RIDOT plans to host a virtual town hall meeting to address questions or concerns regarding the demolition portion of the Washington Bridge repair work. We have been working with both cities, Providence and East Providence, and plan to hold the virtual town hall meeting this Friday, October 11th at 6 p.m
The Director would like to give you the opportunity to let us know if there is anyone you think should be included on our invitation list. The invitation will be sent as a ZOOM meeting invitation. The current list includes everyone who has signed up to receive information about the bridge as well as those who attend our East Bay Bridge team meetings.
If you would like to invite someone else, please let us know.
Thank you very much,
Lindsey M. Sasso
Programming Services Representative
Government and Legislative Affairs
This is the second time RIDOT has failed to conduct a meeting with neighbors.
The RIDOT letter included promises to the neighborhood
A letter from RIDOT official Lori Fisette to Blazejewski dated August 22, 2024 stated: “The contractor is required to comply with the Department's noise abatement policy. The loudest noise and vibration activity is probably the use of excavators.” If hydraulic demolition hammers are installed, we plan to use these devices during the day if possible.
Additionally, RIDOT promised to engage the public.
The letter said:
Public relations:
Construction communication details will be outlined in the project's public engagement plan, developed at the beginning of the project and based on community knowledge. Be it noise, dust or concerns about traffic disruption. We are aware of the potential impact on local residents of the project. The contractor, in coordination with the department, will:
1. Coordinate meetings with stakeholders.
2. Host a meeting for interested neighborhood groups, businesses, professional groups and other organizations.
Topics to be covered may include updates to contract work milestones and any major planned traffic changes/impacts
Provide graphics/visual aids and handouts as appropriate
Meetings can be held virtually
RIDOT never held these meetings.
Demolition is scheduled to begin again on Tuesday evening.
Walsh on June 10th and Now, Washington Bridge
As GoLocal reported in September 2020, “RIDOT piled contaminated soil next to their home and tried to get the family to sign a release for $12,600.”
In the 6/10 contamination case, Walsh attempted to pressure the Carmona family, who lived next to the contaminated soil in Olneyville, to sign an agreement with the state of Rhode Island to release the state from any claims.
“In October 2019, David Walsh tried to get us to sign an indemnity release. We showed it to a family friend who said we shouldn't sign the release. [Walsh] asked us repeatedly [to sign the agreement] and told us to hurry up,” said Teofilo Carmona, one of the neighbors affected by the project, during an interview in his backyard in 2020.
The total amount offered by the state was $12,600.
Walsh was deputy director of administrative services at the time and told GoLocal, “Sometime that summer, someone from Barletta came by and spoke to the Carmonas about the problems.”
“You should probably talk to someone in RDOT’s communications office. I know this, Barletta's supervisor went and spoke to Mr. Carmona,” Walsh added before ending the call.
GoLocal contacted Barletta's then on-site supervisor, Dennis Ferreira, who was the Carmonas' point of contact at the time – he did not respond to calls or text messages. The company did not respond to inquiries, and the company's attorney did not respond to requests to connect GoLocal with Ferreira.
The Justice Department later took action. Barletta signed a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office and paid $1.5 million.
Ferriera later pleaded guilty for his involvement in the cases. And currently, Ferreira is facing state charges. Barletta, the prime contractor on June 10, was also one of the prime contractors on the Washington Bridge when it was shut down.
The company faces multiple charges for its role in the 6/10 contamination case.
And Barletta is one of the companies being sued by the state of Rhode Island over its alleged role in the failure of the Washington Bridge.
Walsh, who joined RIDOT in March 2018, previously served as vice president of licensed retail at Bassett Furniture Industries for 11 years.
He is paid $141,312.21, according to state records.