Portsmouth resident reported killed in WMR crash [update]

By John McDaid | Saturday, 20 September 2008

Both the ProJo and Daily News are citing police sources saying that the driver of a pickup truck involved in the accident at West Main and Union Street last night died at Newport Hospital. The accident happened about 4 pm and shut down WMR for several hours. The Daily News reports that the driver was a Portsmouth resident.

Links to coverage: Providence Journal, Newport Daily News.

Update: ABC6 has video and IDs the driver. (Thanks, anonymous reader, for the heads-up.)

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871

Comments

Viking

Sat, 09/20/2008 - 9:39am

This is far from the first time there has been a serious accident at the corner of West Main and Redwood Road/Union Street. Regretfully, I have learned that one can not safely proceed just because the light turns green: For safety, after the light turns green, you must look both ways AND make sure that all oncoming traffic is stopping. This is not the way it's supposed to work, but I value my life so I don't go on green until I'm absolutely certain that it is safe.

craigi

Sun, 09/21/2008 - 11:13pm

I am a (lucky) new resident of this special island......and I do not, in general, complain about such things...but

The serious fact is that anyone who drives in this area is taking their life into their hands EVERY TIME. The roads are very thin, no shoulders, no turning lanes, etc. - very quaint, but deadly. Every time I slow down and stop to make a left, I expect to get rear ended!

I have a sixth sense which tells me that either myself or some other member of my family will be in a bad accident here - sometime. It seems hard to avoid.

I don't know what the solutions are....but maybe the residents could start by getting the speed limits at least PARTIALLY enforced. As it is, either the police or town fathers that control them have blood on their hands, because they allow DOUBLE the speed limit on every road....or so it seems.

Anyway, sorry to hear about this fella...but I know there are more accidents coming soon.

John McDaid

Mon, 09/22/2008 - 5:40am

Hi, craigi...
Welcome to Aquidneck Island, and thanks for your post. I must agree that the design of both East and West Main Road are unforgiving, "quaint but deadly" captures it well. Since these are both State roads, we depend on the RI Department of Transportation for traffic controls, signage, road design, and maintenance. After the last (fortunately not fatal) accident last year on East Main Road, here's how then-director Jerome Williams responded to a letter I sent pleading for an upgrade.

The excellent RI Policy Reporter lays out the fiscal crunch that RI DOT has created for itself. They quite literally don't have the money to do any of the work that needs to happen, so projects get queued up years ahead.

There are some bright spots. Last year, with help from our State legislative delegation (thanks, Reps Gallison, Amaral, and Rice and Sen. Levesque) RIDOT was convinced to restripe Turnpike Avenue north of Clements from a four-lane speedway to a two-lane with wide shoulders. Based on the success of that project, RIDOT has promised to do the same on East Main, at least between Clements and Park Ave. And the long-term plan for the stretch from Town Hall to Clements is in the planning stages for a series of traffic-calming roundabouts.

None of this, of course, is any consolation to the family and friends of those who have been devastated by injuries and loss. And our thoughts are with them.

Best,
-j