New England 17, August 16, 2023

Contractors On Track to Meet First of Two Tight Vt. Project Deadlines

By Lori Tobias CEG CORRESPONDENT

Contractors on a Vermont bridge project are on track to meet the first deadline of a tightly scheduled two-phase job.

The North Hero BF 028-1(30) Bridge 5 project involves replacing the existing bridge concrete deck, which is struc-

turally deficient, with a new bridge deck that meets current design standards.

“The tight timeline is probably the single most challenging aspect of the project,” said Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) resident engineer Phillip Harrington. “Doing a project in two phases like this always

Gov. Healey’s $14B Capital Spending to Focus On Roads, Housing, Development

The administration of Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey rolled out its five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) in late June, which called for $14 billion in spending with a focus on investments in roads, housing, economic development and climate projects.

The CIP also features $262 million toward the federal government’s efforts to replace the Bourne and Sagamore bridges to Cape Cod, ultimately ramping up to a $700 million long-term state commitment. Funds from Washington to build the projects are still being pursued.

Also included in the new plan is funding for a new courthouse to replace the current, though outdated structure in

Springfield, and another $307 million to relocate the old Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain to the East Newton Pavilion in Boston’s South End.

Healey’s initiative is slightly higher than that proposed by former Gov. Charlie Baker in 2022, which laid out a blueprint for close to $13.9 billion in total state bond cap spending, the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise reported.

“Our [CIP] includes major investments that are designed to make Massachusetts more affordable, competitive, and equitable for everyone,” Healey said in a statement.

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XL Center Arena to Undergo Extensive $100M Renovation

Getting hungry at a concert or a game? Pull up an app on your phone, order, and pick up your food without standing in line. And we’re not talking just hot dogs and burgers. Many of today’s arena patrons can choose from a menu of cuisines including Filipino, Senegalese and Thai.

When the game is over, they can get up from their padded seats in the club section and walk through the spacious corridors for a quick exit, followed by drinks and dinner downtown.

That is the new standard for spectators at mid-sized sports stadiums and concert arenas across the nation — and a glimpse of the challenges and opportunities facing Hartford, Conn.’s reimagined XL Center.

With $100 million budgeted for an overhaul of the XL Center set to start in 2024, consultants in the arena business have said that Connecticut needs to spend big just to stay in the game as cities around the nation invest in major venues.

Renovation Plans to Go Full Speed Ahead

With the needed funds secured at the close of this year’s state legislative session, XL Center managers are now in the middle of the design process, sketching out a multiyear, multiphase renovation of the 48-yearold arena, once known as the Hartford Civic Center. An upgraded XL is seen as crucial to continued viability for the arena and the key to hopes of attracting a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise.

Bids on the first part of the XL rehab should go out by the end of August with contracts expected to be signed in early fall, said Michael Freimuth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA), which manages the arena.

“There’s meetings almost on a daily basis,” he told the Bridgeport-based Connecticut Post (CT) while speaking of the renovation project.

Other key priorities include updating CRDA’s deal with the center’s operator, Oak View Group, along with its signed pacts with the state and the city of Hartford.

With much of the renovation happening “at the back of the house” and during the week and slower summer months, XL Center attendees may not notice any changes for months, Freimuth noted.

High on the priority list is expanding the loading docks for the arena to allow for quicker setup and breakdown by large acts. Upgrading the electrical and IT grid also is

prioritized to make it easier for patrons to use cell phones and other technology inside the XL.

An expanse of brand new glass marks the near-completion of the revamp’s first phase as well as a new sports-betting venue on the west side of the XL Center facing Ann Uccello Street. Operated by the state lottery, the sportsbook is on schedule to open for business by the end of August, Freimuth said. Gamblers will then be able to access the sportsbook from the street but will need a ticket to enter the larger arena.

“Operationally we should be a go for Sept. 1,” he explained, adding that major HVAC and electrical work has been completed despite supply-chain delays. “We’re now actually finishing up the place.”

Later phases of the XL renovation include creating more overall seating by pushing back the stage, adding a new concourse and building more luxury-level seats near the floor.

Arenas Nationwide Loading Up On Amenities

Luxury seating, larger concourses and expanded food and beverage options are the bare minimum to keep an arena competitive in the current high-stakes market, according to national consultants who have reviewed the XL Center project.

“It’s not the way it used to be where you build a civic center; this is all very competitive in terms of being able to get content providers to bring you events,” said Carl Hirsh, managing partner at New Jerseybased consultant Stafford Sports LLC.

“Hartford is unfortunately behind the curve on that right now.”

The gold standard of new venues that have been built recently is CityPark, a $460 million soccer stadium that opened late last year in downtown St. Louis, Mo., noted Fred Carstensen, director of the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at the University of Connecticut (UConn).

Other state-of-the-art venues debuting this year include a $335 million soccer stadium in Nashville, Tenn., a brand-new 35,000-seat arena in San Diego, Calif., and UConn’s own 2,600-seat hockey arena on campus, which opened earlier in 2023.

Ultramodern Arenas Make for Better Community

Carstensen’s team has studied the XL Center over the decades and has made continuous recommendations regarding upgrades. He told CT Post that if the city and state are going to invest in the arena, they must make certain they do not build something that will quickly become dated.

“We’re seeing arenas all over the country come up,” said Charles Johnson, with Johnson Consulting in Chicago, who has worked with CRDA on the Connecticut Convention Center. “It’s a national trend to get these things in order, and also make them a better contribution to the community.

“We want downtown Hartford to experience the same thing every other city’s starting to experience, and that’s modern facilities,” he continued. “It’s theaters — the cultural add-ons are what we’re seeing happen, and arenas are very much cultural

[venues].”

Plus, he said, “You’re the state capital, so you probably want distinction for [Connecticut] as well as [for the city of] Hartford.”

Upgrades in recent decades have kept Hartford’s arena operational and able to attract major acts like Lizzo. Additionally, the XL Center has survived setbacks like a catastrophic 1978 roof collapse due to heavy snow, and flaws in the arena’s original design.

Centerpiece of New Downtown Hartford

The XL Center’s size and location dovetail with a national trend toward integrating mid-sized arenas into urban areas and using them to spark economic development.

“These projects enliven swaths of urban neighborhoods,” Arizona-based consultant Jesse Zunke wrote in a recent online article in SportsTravel magazine about reimagining stadiums and arenas. “Smaller venues are friendlier to urban neighbors and easier to build.”

He cited a multi- billion stadium project that includes 3,000 housing units, office space, and a hotel in downtown Oakland, Calif.

With an arena of the XL’s advanced age and space constraints, knocking it down and starting over on a bigger piece of land is an option that has been long debated.

But the cost — likely approaching $1 billion — and logistics of a do-over make it a “bridge too far,” Freimuth said.

“The market does sustain the upgrade program, which we’re working on, but it wouldn’t really justify a billion-dollar enterprise,” he explained to CT Post. “Then if you were to find a new place, the land assembly that would give you connectivity to hotels, restaurants, retail and parking garages is not readily available.”

Venues like the XL Center will only have increasing importance as cities like Hartford adjust to post-pandemic work-from-home trends and surging office vacancy, Freimuth said. Instead of “downtown business districts,” cities will increasingly need to develop downtown entertainment districts.

“The downtowns are going to become something different,” he added, noting that along with theaters, bars and restaurants, a revamped XL Center could play a key role in a new, entertainment-focused Hartford.

“For a fraction of the cost of replacing it, we can position it for the next 20 years or so.” 

XL Center photo

XL Center managers are sketching out a multiyear, multiphase renovation of the 48-year-old arena, once known as the Hartford Civic Center.

Providence, R.I., Begins Upgrades to Fox Point Hurricane Barrier to Stem Floods

Vt.’s Quechee Gorge Bridge to Finally Begin $19M Rehab

An engineer with the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) told residents and concerned citizens of the Hartford area on July 27 that the overdue improvements to the Quechee Gorge Bridge will finally get started, including preparation and clean-up work from the recent floods, in mid- to late-August and continue through November.

The start of the $19.1 million rehabilitation of the historic bridge, built in 1911, is anticipated to create traffic delays and parking challenges, though, during the summer and fall for at least the next three years, reported the Valley News in nearby West Lebanon, N.H.

The upgrades will entail cleaning and painting the structural arches and frame of the three-span steel deck truss structure, replace deteriorated beams or joints, and widen the existing sidewalks from 3½-ft. to 6-ft.

VTrans Project Manager J.B. McCarthy presented the scope of the project at the July public meeting where he explained the delay on moving forward with the rehabilitation.

The mayor of Providence, R.I., Brett P. Smiley, announced July 10 that $1.5 million in repairs to the city’s Fox Point Hurricane Barrier will get under way July 24. The project is designed to replace the underground hydraulics of the sewer gates located at the intersection of Allens Avenue and Henderson Street.

“This infrastructure investment is a critical part of how we can ensure Providence is resilient in the face of intense weather events and climate change,” Smiley said in a statement. “Repairs to the hurricane barrier are long overdue and we are committed to making sure that the repairs are completed as quickly and safely as possible.”

The Allens Avenue hurricane barrier gates play a key role in the city’s ability to protect downtown Providence from flooding in the event of a storm surge. They fight potential floods from sea level rise and excessive rainfall storms. During a storm surge, the gates can be closed, which keeps the sea water out. There’s also a pump installed to discharge excess rain and river water into the bay.

Currently, the hurricane barrier sewer gates must be manually shut ahead of heavy storms or hurricanes. Once the planned upgrades are complete, city crews will be able to close the gates more quickly and efficiently during an emergency, according to Smiley’s office.

At least one local climate researcher has applauded the city’s decision, The Public Radio in Providence reported. Rain, and with it flooding, are only expected to increase in Providence in the future, said Baylor Fox-Kemper, a climate modeler and oceanographer at Brown University.

“Floods of a particular strength are getting more and more frequent,” he explained. “As we go forward, we should expect the hurricane barrier to be used more and more just to protect from these increased flooding events.”

Fox-Kemper told the news outlet that there are two major climate change-caused flood threats to the city: water coming up into the city, which is caused by sea level rise, and water pouring down into the city, which is caused by increased rainfall and moisture in the air.

“Warmer water is bigger, and so it doesn’t fit in the ocean in the same way,” Fox-Kemper added. “That’s about half the effect, and the ice sheets are melting and adding more

water to the ocean as well.”

And the extra 1.1 degree Celsius the planet has experienced has led to about 6 percent more moisture in the air, which is what Providence is currently experiencing. Coincidentally, the same day Smiley announced the hurricane barrier repair project was the wettest July 10th of the past century, according to the National Weather Service.

The first phase of construction should conclude by midAugust, the mayor said. During this phase of construction, southbound traffic on Allens Avenue will detour onto Eddy Street, then to Blackstone Street, and back to Allens Avenue. Northbound traffic will be reduced to one lane around the work zone.

Barrier Built in Wake of Two Destructive Hurricanes

The Fox Point Hurricane Protection Barrier in Providence is located immediately south of the Narragansett Electric Co. plant, just north of Fox Point and a mile south of the city’s downtown.

Providence suffered extensive damage from the hurricane of 1938 and Hurricane Carol in 1954 when, in each instance, water depths of up to 8 ft. were experienced in the city’s commercial area. In each case, the flood damages were in the multi-millions of dollars.

Construction on the hurricane barrier finally began in July 1961 and was completed in January 1966 at a cost of $15 million.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Cape Cod Canal Project Office operates and maintains the barrier’s elements located within the Providence River banks, while the city of Providence operates and maintains the rest of the structure.

The barrier itself is a 700-ft.-long and 25-ft.-high concrete structure that extends westerly across the Providence River from Tockwotton Street, near Fox Point, to Globe Street, near the Narragansett Electric power plant.

Three radial arm floodgates, known as Tainter gates, on the structure prevent the entry of floodwaters from the bay when closed and permit passage of small vessels when open. Each gate is 40 ft. wide and 40 ft. high. 

“We had plans ready to go in 2020, but then COVID happened, so we had to put it off for a few years,” he said.

In addition, McCarthy reported that his office had asked for new bids in September 2022, but only received one.

Now, though, the agency has contracted with Gill Engineering, from Needham, Mass., to take on the job.

The Quechee Gorge Bridge is located on U.S. Highway 4, midway between Woodstock and White River Junction, Vt. Known for its spectacular views of the Quechee Gorge from its perch above the Ottauquechee River, the structure is 285ft.-long, 41-ft. wide and 163-ft.-high.

The bridge carries two lanes of traffic — one in each direction — along with sidewalks on both sides. Its main span is a parabolic spandrel-braced Pratt truss, forming a span that is 188-ft.-long.

Bridge Repair Will Ramp Up in 2024

VTrans had hoped to shut down the construction in September each year, to allow for “leaf-peeping season,” according to McCarthy, and the annual influx of fall tourism, but after consulting with contractors, the agency had to make the decision to expand the schedule through November.

For most of the project’s duration, one lane of traffic and one sidewalk will be closed. Human flaggers will initially control a single lane of alternating traffic, but by the end of the 2023 construction season, temporary signals will be installed to manage traffic. McCarthy told the Standard that those barriers will be removed during the winter months when no work is taking place.

In 2024 and 2025, construction will run from April through November, he added. The work will then shift to repairing the bridge, replacing deteriorated components and building new sidewalks. Construction will take place on the southern side of the bridge in 2024 and switch to the northern side the following year.

The Vermont Standard in Woodstock reported that the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists on the bridge will improve, and the sidewalks will be extended from the Quechee State Park Visitor Center to the parking lot.

The final three months of work on the Quechee Gorge Bridge, prior to its targeted completion on June 26, 2026, will

see QUECHEE page 14

John MacPherson/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo

Fox Point Hurricane Barrier in Providence, R.I., with its gates closed during Hurricane Irene on Aug. 28, 2011.

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Mass. CIP to Help Fund Wide Range of Development Projects

CIP from page 1

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Communities.

Addressing Housing Needs Top Priority

The Fitchburg news source noted that the CIP allocates $1.5 billion over five years to various housing initiatives, including $97 million to establish a HousingWorks program similar to the MassWorks grant program that has helped municipalities work with the state and developers on large projects.

affordable housing.

In addition to HousingWorks, the governor’s plan puts forward $43 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and $14.9 million toward the Housing Innovations Fund, to “support innovative and alternative forms of rental housing, including ‘homelessness’ housing, [in addition to] housing for seniors and veterans, and transitional units for recovery from substance abuse.”

focus on decarbonization. The total project is valued at more than $1.6 billion.

Additionally, the next five years will see $840 million dedicated to modernizing public higher education campuses across the Commonwealth to make them more climate resilient and address critical repairs and deferred maintenance.

lion earmarked to solidify the state’s position in the innovation, life sciences and advanced manufacturing industries.

“We’re also expanding support for tried-and-true economic development programs and dedicating crucial resources to updating infrastructure across the state.”

Healy’s plan commits $2.9 billion in total capital funding for the fiscal year that began July 1, with $1.14 billion earmarked for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), $614 million to the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, and $308 million set aside for the new Executive Office

The Healy administration describes HousingWorks as a “flexible tool to support housing development, preservation and rehabilitation, with the goal of enabling the construction of up to 300 new affordable units each year.”

The grant program also builds on existing capital programs, such as the housing stabilization fund, which awards grants to developers for production and preservation efforts that support residents with up to 60 percent of area median income, as well as transit-oriented housing and “climate resilient”

Additionally, the CIP seeks to leverage federal funding for the construction of new Chelsea and Holyoke Veterans’ Homes.

Money to Flow Toward Climate-Friendly Initiatives

Massachusetts’ transportation systems will receive $1.4 billion from the state “to reduce emissions through electrification, create more sustainable modes of transportation and build resilient infrastructure prepared to withstand the impacts of a changing climate,” according to the Healy administration.

The plan calls for funding 40 projects at different state buildings over the next half-decade with a

In fiscal 2024, the CIP will combine $164.8 million in federal funding with matching funds from the state to be used toward the Clean Water Trust. The trust offers loans and grants to Massachusetts’ cities, towns and water utilities to help communities build or replace water infrastructure to clean ground or surface water resources.

Other federal funding unlocked this fiscal year includes a total of $30 million toward abandoned hazardous waste areas, known as “Superfund sites.”

Range of Development Projects to Be Funded

Economic development initiatives are funded with $1.2 billion in the CIP, including about $80 mil-

Keen on keeping Massachusetts’ edge in the life sciences sector, Healey is dedicating $35 million to the Mass Life Sciences Center in Waltham, and $18.3 million for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative.

The state’s Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) has earmarked $163.1 million “to strengthen Commonwealth communities,” in fiscal 2024, including through Community One Stop for Growth grants. This program is a single application portal for communities to apply for state funding.

In fiscal 2023, the program assisted 337 local economic development projects in 169 communities to become connected to funding, according to EOED.

This $163.1 million also includes $96 million toward the local infrastructure grant program MassWorks, and $16.6 million for towns and cities to revitalize underutilized properties. 

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New UMaine Field Hockey Field to Open; Work On Evergreen Credit Union Begins

Construction continues to progress at the 110,000-sq.ft. University of Maine (UMaine) Field Hockey Complex in Orono, with a scheduled opening now slated for August.

The facility will feature a top-tier synthetic turf playing surface with irrigation, bleacher seating for up to 500 fans and a new twostory press box flanked by spacious team areas.

UMaine Athletics reported on its website June 29 that installation of the facility’s new grandstand and press box is now complete. Included in the grandstand is a center section that features stadium seating, dedicated ADA and companion seating, and three points through which to enter and exit the bleachers. The new press box includes a storage

room on the first floor, two dedicated rooms inside the space and a camera deck covered by a canopy.

In mid-June, contractors laid a porous pavement on the playing field, described by the school as “a special type of surface used at toptier Division I universities to help maintain a firm [structure] while allowing water to freely drain.” Over it will be a thin runner layer and turf with “Maine” branding to complete the field’s construction.

Work also has begun on the complex’s sidewalks, including new concrete pads in the team areas, and within the grandstand pavilion.

The new UMaine field hockey complex is part of the university’s transformative $110 million athletic facilities master plan. The initiative honors Harold Alfond’s legacy of support for the school’s education and athletics programs by providing modern facilities for all 17 varsity sports at the state’s only Division I athletic program and improving the overall UMaine student experience.

In October 2021, the

Harold Alfond Foundation announced a historic $500 million investment in Maine and its people. The University of Maine System is to receive $240 million over 10 to 12 years, including $90 million in support for UMaine’s athletics facilities.

Evergreen Credit Union Breaks Ground On Scarborough Branch

Portland, Maine-based Evergreen Credit Union broke ground in June on a new branch office at 617 U.S. Highway 1 in Scarborough, with a plan to be open for business by next spring 2024.

Mainebiz reported June 26 that the financial services building will encompass 3,000 sq. ft. with two drivethrough lanes and one for ATM access.

“We are very excited about coming to Scarborough and especially to the Dunstan Corner area,” said Jason Lindstrom, Evergreen’s president, and CEO, at the construction kickoff. “There aren’t any financial institutions in this part of Scarborough, and we look forward to serving the

community here along with the nearby communities of Old Orchard Beach and Saco.”

Gawron Turgeon Architects and Risbara Brothers Construction Co., both of Scarborough, have been contracted for the project, according to Mainebiz. Evergreen’s latest groundbreaking is part of an expansion that in 2022 included approval by the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions of the memberowned credit union’s application for new territory in Androscoggin, Lincoln, Oxford and Sagadahoc counties.

Besides its Portland headquarters, Evergreen operates branches in Naples, South Portland and Windham in addition to a commercial banking center in Westbrook, Maine.

With assets of more than $515 million, Evergreen ranks fifth among Mainebased credit unions. The financial cooperative was founded in 1951 to serve employees of the S.D. Warren Paper Mill in Westbrook and has since grown to service six counties in the southern part of the state.

UMaine rendering

The new UMaine field hockey complex is part of the University of Maine's transformative $110 million athletic facilities master plan.

Vermont’s North Hero Bridge 5 Project Involves Concrete Deck Replacement

BRIDGE from page 1

takes a little longer as some tasks have to be completed twice, but it also saves overall project time by not having to put in a temporary bridge or having to deal with the challenges of a road closure.”

Constructed in 1954, the North Hero bridge crosses the Alburgh Passage on U.S. Route 2. It is a seven-span, cast-in-place deck on steel plate girders, stretching 826 ft. long and 35 ft. wide with a curb-to-curb width of 30 ft. A scoping report completed in 2017 revealed the deck to be in poor condition, the two-girder fracture critical superstructure in fair condition and the substructure in satisfactory condition, based on the most recent inspection. VTrans considered three options for replacing the bridge.

Recently,

Businesses Anxiously Await Bridge Work

QUECHEE from page 6

include landscaping, final pavement laying and a last bridge inspection, McCarthy noted.

The bridge has seen restoration projects in the past, in 1972 and 1988, but he noted the structure had never really had this type of work done since it was built 112 years ago.

Business Owners Anxious About Bridge Project

For area business owners who rely on tourism for their livelihood, the restoration of the Quechee Gorge Bridge cannot come soon enough.

Many, though, are concerned about the anticipated traffic congestion from the bridge project as they continue to recover from July’s brutal heavy rains and flooding.

Owners of retail shops and restaurants on U.S. 4 in Quechee said they saw a significant decline in patrons during the weeks that followed the July 10 flooding, which caused major damage across Vermont, including parts of the Upper Valley.

Businesses that did not encounter flooding problems of their own were still affected indirectly by a decline in visitors to the Quechee Gorge, which funnels tourists to the assortment of antique shops, gift stores and eateries located nearby.

In a June 2016 engineering study, several alternatives for rehabilitating the bridge were outlined. The study assessed the proposed design criteria for the bridge, impacts to right-of-way, wildlife, hydraulics, historic and archeological resources, as well as the needs of the local community, according to a VTrans fact sheet.

The report noted that the bridge, which saw an average daily traffic count of 2,000 in 2017, has been considered in less than fair condition since 2009, largely due to the continuing deterioration to the deck surface. The alternatives included taking no action, replacing the deck, replacing the superstructure, a full bridge replacement on-alignment and a full bridge replacement on the old alignment. Citing site constraints and the current condition, the agency opted to replace the concrete deck along with minor steel superstructure repairs, completing the work in phased construction.

The project plan was completed in January 2021, however, due to funding availability, the contract was not put out for bid until March 2022. It was awarded to Kubricky Construction Corp. based out of Wilton, N.Y.

According to VTrans, “The new deck will be supported by the existing steel superstructure and existing substructure. The proposed bridge rehabilitation will require minimal approach roadway work and the vertical curve on the bridge shall remain the same to maintain the existing channel opening

in the main span.”

The bridge rehabilitation has gone as planned, with one significant change, Harrington said.

“The project is using an AccelBridge deck panel system. The project plans originally called for a proposed cart system to deliver the panels, but the contractor decided they could put a crane on a barge in the lake and set the precast deck panels that way instead, which has seemed to save a lot of time.”

Since April, when crews began removing the bridge rail, curb and deck, traffic on the bridge has been restricted to one lane, managed by traffic signals at either end. Weeks after the demolition of the old deck began, work on the new deck was under way,

the barge-mounted crane in place to deliver the deck panels.

Recently, crews worked from a barge-mounted manlift to build curbs on the north side of the bridge, first installing anchor bolts for the bridge guardrail, following with reinforcing steel and lastly, wood forms to the create the vertical faces of the curb.

When completed, the new bridge will have two 11-ft. lanes and two 5-ft. shoulders to meet Vermont State Design Standards and accommodate pedestrians and

“We saw our sales plummet for two weeks because people were saying [on social media] not to come,” said Tina Tuckerman, owner of the Vermont Snack Shack on Quechee Gorge Village Drive.

Owners of businesses near the gorge also are worried about the timing of the construction, which is expected to create heavy traffic backup and parking difficulties during the fall foliage season.

Patricia Button, owner of the Snack Bar at Quechee Gorge along U.S. 4, said the gorge attracts an average of 20 to 25 buses per day from September through mid-October.

Her concern is that bus companies might decide to bypass the gorge over the next three years because of the inconvenience.

“And once you lose them, you can’t get them back,” said Button, who, like other business local business owners, are still recovering from the dip in sales due to indirect impacts from the flooding.

She told the Standard that she worries most about the effect of construction in 2025, when the work will be on the east side of the bridge — the same side of the highway as her business. But the open sidewalk will be on the opposite side of U.S. 4, and the nearest crosswalk to Button’s parking lot will be the Quechee Gorge Visitor Center, farther east of the bridge.

She said the tourists will either have to backtrack to reach the overlook or the buses will need to find parking in the small lot on the western side of the bridge.

Business owners also were worried about the status of the Quechee Covered Bridge, which was closed after one of its embankments was washed away by the flood on the Ottauquechee River. The bridge, which connects Waterman Hill Road to Quechee Main Street, provides an alternate route to the lower village on the western side of the gorge.

With the closure of the covered bridge, vehicles must access Main Street at the intersection of U.S. 4, which requires some drivers to have to cross Quechee Gorge Bridge.

Hartford Public Works Director Bryan Gazda told those attending the July 27 meeting that the town is currently seeking bids to repair the Quechee Covered Bridge.

(All photos courtesy of VTrans.)

Gazda said the goal is to reopen the covered bridge by the end of August, though that will hinge on whether the town secures an available contractor. 

bicyclists. Phase one of the project is scheduled for completion by July. Phase two, by Nov. 2, 2023, with the final completion date for the project set for May 31, 2024.

Contractors on a $15.6 million Vermont bridge project are on track to meet the first deadline of a tightly scheduled two-phase job.

crews worked from a barge-mounted manlift to build curbs on the north side of the bridge, first installing anchor bolts for the bridge guardrail, following with reinforcing steel and lastly, wood forms to the create the vertical faces of the curb.

Tesla Plans to Refurbish Old Providence Store Into EV Hub

Just a year after grocery chain Stop & Shop stopped paying its 20-year lease on its long empty store on Reservoir Ave. in Providence, R.I., Tesla will move into the former supermarket to build a hub for service, sales and vehicle charging in southern New England.

The new Providence hub for the electric car maker should open in the first three months of 2024, Joseph R. Paolino Jr., a local real estate developer, said during a news conference Aug. 1. His company, Paolino Properties, bought the complex in 2012.

When finished, the more than 76,000-sq.ft. hub will become one of the largest Tesla locations in New England. It is located in the Mashapaug Commons complex, next to Jorge Alvarez High School.

Paolino said that the old site needs to be completely retrofitted to become a Tesla dealership.

The Providence Journal reported that once the transition is complete, the Tesla retail location will employ 30 people full-time in sales, service and parts distribution. The automaker, founded and majority owned by billionaire Elon Musk, is spending $10 million to build the car dealership.

“This is a big day for Providence. This development is bringing jobs at every level to the community and will be game-changing for the neighborhood,” explained Paolino, who serves as managing partner and owner of Paolino Properties. “The conversion of this center into a service hub for Tesla is a meaningful milestone for the entire region.

“It fills me with immense pride, as it signifies Providence’s crucial role as a key player in a national endeavor towards a brighter, more sustainable future and the expansion of a promising new industry,” he continued.

The Providence hub will not only function as a service center for electric vehicles, but provide new vehicle delivery, preparation, maintenance services, lease renewals and as a parts depot for all regional locations. It also will include a showroom and ancillary office spaces, Paolino Properties noted in the press release.

The developer is overseeing the project’s current stage of construction, and will replace the roof, install a new rooftop HVAC, put in a new garage door and update the mill and pavement of the parking surface, as well as add new outdoor lighting and landscaping.

The design and construction has supported approximately 55 jobs, the company noted.

Keeping Up With Demand for Electric Vehicles

At the news conference announcing the new Tesla hub, Gov. Dan McKee also touted new regulations that will ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Rhode Island will join California, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington in the ban.

“With transportation responsible for 40 percent of our state’s greenhouse gas emissions, we know that welcoming Tesla to the Ocean State will be a positive for both our environment and our local economy,” McKee explained. “I thank Joe Paolino Jr. for his commitment to Rhode Island that continues to bring economic development opportunities and new businesses such as Tesla to our capital city.”

The Tesla location in Providence will be the company’s second location in Rhode Island. The first dealership opened in Warwick in 2019.

“As our legislature invests in the infrastructure needed to better prepare Rhode Island for the rapid growth of electric vehicles on our roadways, the opening of this Tesla Service Center is a great fit for the future,” said Rhode Island Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi. “Tesla has been extremely successful in my home city of Warwick for the past four years, and this expansion into Providence is great news.”

Other nearby dealerships can be found in Milford, Conn., and in three Massachusetts cities: Norwell, Dedham and Natick.

According to Rhode Island Energy, there are 500 electric vehicle-charging stations in the state.

“I’m excited to see a dynamic company like Tesla occupy this space and bring new life to the Reservoir and Elmwood neighborhoods [of Providence],” said City Councilman (Ward 8) and Majority Leader James Taylor. “My constituents work hard for their families. This facility will deliver new job opportunities, the ability to learn new skills, and be a part of the rapidly growing electric vehicle auto industry.”

His colleague, City Council President Rachel Miller, said she shared in Taylor’s enthusiasm for Tesla’s new facility.

“Any time an innovative business decides to create a regional hub and home in Providence, that speaks volumes to what the city can offer,” Miller noted in the Paolino Properties news release. “While Providence delivers a diverse workforce and strategic location, the city council, our partners in government, and the business community have shown a real commitment to supporting green energy initiatives.

“It’s a new day in the city.” 