The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has received approval to add eight new projects to its economic recovery program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The eight new projects are in addition to the 54 projects RIDOT is constructing with $137 million the department received under the ARRA program. Fifty-two have been authorized for funding and 44 are under construction. Eighty-one percent of these contracts were awarded to Rhode Island companies.

The projects, which have been certified by the governor’s office, involve bridge rehabilitation, resurfacing, sidewalk reconstruction and drainage improvements. The estimated cost of these projects is $12.4 million. RIDOT intends for these projects to go to construction this spring and summer.

The department is able to fund these additional projects under the ARRA program because the bids RIDOT received for a majority of the projects averaged about 15 percent less than original estimates.

“With bids coming in lower than our estimates, it became clear through the course of last year that the department would be able to expand the number of projects funded by the ARRA program,” RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. “We are pleased to be able to stretch our stimulus dollars further.”

The additional projects, listed by community are:

Foster

• Rehabilitation and resurfacing of Moosup Valley Road from 0.9 mi. west of Route 14/Plainfield Pike to Cucumber Hill Road (1.4 mi. $800,000).

• Rehabilitation and resurfacing of Route 14/Route 102 from Briggs Road to Old Plainfield Pike (1.2 mi. $800,000).

Glocester

• Replacement of the Chestnut Hill Road Bridge, which carries Chestnut Hill Road over the spillway that flows from the Sayles and Smith Reservoir to the Chepachet River. The project includes construction of a replacement spillway structure and wetland restoration ($1.5 million).

South Kingstown

• Kingston Station Interlocking Tower Relocation, which involves the dismantling, relocation and reassembly of a historic train signal tower at Kingston Station in the village of West Kingston ($300,000).

Statewide Drainage Improvements

East Greenwich, Providence Scituate and Tiverton

• Various drainage improvements in the following communities: East Greenwich (First Avenue at Division Street), Providence (North Main Street), Scituate (Danielson Pike), and Tiverton (East Road and Crandall Road) ($300,000).

Warren

• Installation of new curbing, sidewalks, minor drainage improvements and street tree preservation and replacement on Main Street (Route 114) from Cherry Street to 160 ft. south of Beach Street (0.3 mi., $700,000).

Westerly

• Resurfacing of Route 91/Westerly Bradford Road/Bradford Road, including curbing, sidewalks, guardrail, minor drainage improvements from Westerly Maintenance Facility to Bradford Railroad Bridge/800 ft. north of Church Street (3.8 mi., $3 million).

Woonsocket, Cumberland and Lincoln

• Resurfacing of Route 99/Woonsocket Industrial Highway, including curbing replacement, minor drainage rehabilitation, new signs and structures, guardrail replacement and minor bridge work from Route 146 to Route 122/Mendon Road (3.75 mi., $5 million).

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