The RI Dept. of Transportation confirmed this afternoon that Portsmouth's Escape Bridge is currently unusable, according to an e-mail from Chief of Information and Public Relations Charles St. Martin.

After posting the update this morning about the delay of the opening to the first week of September, I received a communication that the bridge was in fact ready to use but RIDOT was not advertising this fact. Since I had heard a similar reassurance from another public official, I reached out directly to RIDOT.

Here's what St. Martin said: "That is incorrect. The bridge in its current condition cannot be used for traffic. Should a tropical system begin an approach to Southern New England and flooding is a concern, we would take steps to prepare it for temporary use."

That statement sounds carefully couched to stop short of actually promising it would be usable. He concluded with the usual reassuring boilerplate:

"The Department will work closely with the Town of Portsmouth to make sure emergency access/egress is available for Island Park."

Full disclosure: To the two public officials who tried to reassure me: If your mother says she loves you, check it out.

Completion of repairs to the Portsmouth Escape Bridge, the only egress for hundreds of Island Park families in the event of a hurricane, has now slipped to "the first week of September," according to the latest RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Community Update.

Just two weeks ago, they were predicting the bridge would be done by the end of the month. Guess I was right about the jaunty italic font.

Full disclosure: In the event of flooding, my neighbors and I would be trapped so, yes, this is personal.

In theeir latest "Community Update," the RI Dept. of Transportation (RIDOT) announced the next phase of work on Portsmouth's Escape Bridge (installing the north approach slab and pouring the sidewalk) and said that completion is "expected" within this month. That's, uh, three weeks from now.

Nothing inspires confidence like a jaunty italic font.

Full disclosure: I live in the evacuation zone in Island Park, and until they open this thing, my neighbors and I have no escape route in a flood situation.

Once is circumstance, twice is coincidence, and three times — well, in this case, three heavy rainstorms and clear streets suggests that RIDOT has found a way to relieve the flooding problems that plagued Park Avenue in Island Park.

The photo above, taken this morning at 8am after hours of steady rain (and a few locally heavy downpours) shows the intersection of Park and Gormley with only minor puddles. I suspect this may have something to do with the backhoe I saw on the beach yesterday, clearing sand away from the outfalls.

Thanks to RIDOT, and to the folks who helped keep this on their radar by responding to my persistent nagging: Sen. Chris Ottiano, Rep. Jay Edwards, and Town Councilors Keith Hamilton, Mike Buddemeyer, and Jim Seveney. And kudos to the Portsmouth School District administration for relocating the bus stop to keep our kids safe and dry. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!

OTOH, Paul "Transparancy" Kesson told me to file a complaint with RIDOT myself. And Council President Joe Robicheau, Vice-President Judi Staven, and Councilor Liz Pedro didn't respond at all. Neighbors here in IP should remember that next November.

Park Avenue looking normal.

After last night's storm, Park Avenue in Portsmouth looks remarkably un-flooded. This is the second day of rain we've had since RIDOT cleaned drains and dug out trenches at the beach outflows, and, so far, it's two for two. Cautiously optimistic that we won't be trapped here once work on the Escape Bridge starts next month.

This morning, Park Ave was not flooded. Normally, that wouldn't be newsworthy, but after a day of soaking rain, this might be a sign that the drain cleaning and trench digging on the beach performed by RIDOT might be having an impact. I hesitate to draw large inferences from one data point, but this is a good sign.

According to Rep. Jay Edwards (D-70) RIDOT Director Michael Lewis was personally informed of the Island Park flooding situation this morning by the head of Inter-Governmental Affairs Bernie Frezza. In a brief phone interview, Edwards said that Lewis has "committed to figuring out a solution," and understands the importance of Park Ave as an egress from Island Park, given the impending closure of the Escape Bridge for construction work.

Update 10pm: Sen. Chris Ottiano (R-11) reached out to let me know he would be in touch with RIDOT first thing in the morning to follow up. Thanks, Senator!

From: John McDaid
To: joeys31@juno.com, joe.robicheau@gmail.com, dDolce@portsmouthri.com, kessonp@gmail.com, Dfaucher@portsmouthri.com, jrobicheau@portsmouthri.com, jseveney@portsmouthri.com, keithhamilton@cox.net, contactlizpedro@aol.com, mbuddemeyer@portsmouthri.com, krizicl@portsmouthschoolsri.org, cynthia.perrotti@gmail.com, cstmartin@dot.ri.gov, dbestwick@dot.ri.gov, sen-ottiano@rilin.state.ri.us, rep-jay70@cox.net

Cc: sandy@patch.com, johnson@newportri.com, sakonnet@eastbaynewspapers.com, news@wadk.com, news@heraldnews.com, NewsRoom@NewportRI.com, pjnews@projo.com, 7to7blog@projo.com, idonnis@wrni.org, News@wjar.com, news@abc6.com, wpronews@630wpro.com, news@wrni.org, news@wsar.com

Subject: Island Park flooding causing safety issues for residents and school children

Date: Tues, 04 Oct 2011 09:06:16 -0400

To RIDOT and the Portsmouth Town Council:
This morning, for the third time this school year, heavy rains flooded Park Ave in Island Park forcing some residents to use the Escape Bridge and making school buses alter their stops.

Here's a photo from today:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmcdaid/6210955922/in/photostream/

And a wider view for perspective:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmcdaid/6210983702/in/photostream/

Here's a set of photos with flooding incidents:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmcdaid/sets/72157627815710844/

This situation was reported to the Council and DOT in September (http://www.torvex.com/jmcdaid/node/1708) and goes back at least two years (Channel 12 reported on it back in December of 2009: http://www.torvex.com/jmcdaid/node/1213). I know that DOT was in Island Park yesterday with the Town Administrator and Portsmouth DPW, but they did not see this situation.

Whatever the cause, I would appreciate it if the RIDOT could work to resolve this issue affecting the safety of Island Park residents and our children.

I'm cc'ing school Supt. Dr. Krizic and School Committee chair Cynthia Perrotti so that they're aware of the situation, and copying in local media and Rep. Jay Edwards and Sen. Chris Ottiano.

Best Regards.
-John

PS: To the press cc'd on this e-mail, all photos may be downloaded from Flickr and freely used; my contact information is below.

Update: 9:29 am Rep. Jay Edwards (D-70) e-mailed me saying he just called RIDOT and they said they are "on it" and will be providing an update by end of day. Thanks for the quick work, Jay!

Update: 9:50 am Town Councilor Keith Hamilton called to say that he had reached out to his contacts. He said he'd just talked with RIDOT yesterday when they were down on Park Ave assessing the situation and that they did see puddles left over from the rain on Saturday. Thanks for your help, Keith!

Full disclosure: I did something horrible to my car driving out through a puddle this morning, and I'm really annoyed.

After my post this morning about flooding in Island Park, I received three communications from the Portsmouth Town Council. Keith Hamilton called me at home, expressed concern about the situation, and said that he had already called RI DOT to file a complaint and try to get some action.

Update: Councilor Mike Buddemeyer emailed to let me know he called a contact at RIDOT and sent him the the pictures so he could see the situation first-hand.

Update 2: Councilor Jim Seveney sent an e-mail after work saying that he was continuing to follow events. I didn't ask him to do anything, because by that point, I'd already received the note from Dolce saying that the bus location would be moved. But I appreciate — and suggest that my Island Park parents and neighbors remember — that we got support from Hamilton, Buddemeyer, and Seveney.

Paul "Transparancy" Kesson, on the other hand, replied by e-mail, attached below; my response to him follows.

To: kessonp@gmail.com
Cc: Town Council
Subject: Re: Island Park flooding and school bus safety
Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:07:11 -0400

Hi, Paul...
Thanks for your quick response and your suggestion; I have filed a complaint with RIDOT. Do I correctly infer from your e-mail that you expect citizens to deal with RIDOT without your assistance?

This seems out of character, given the Council's active role in other issues in Island Park where you have repeatedly stepped in between citizens and state agencies.

I must say that this response leaves me very dissatisfied.

Councilor Keith Hamilton, on the other hand, just phoned me to let me know that he had personally called RIDOT to file a complaint and try to get some action.

I'll let my neighbors in Island Park decide which of these responses they find more helpful.

Best Regards.
-John

On Thu, 2011-09-08 at 13:27 +0000, kessonp@gmail.com wrote:
> John
>
> This has been a problem at the area near the clamshack for over a year and
> I went to the RIDOT website and made a formal complaint. I also noticed RIDOT
> had their loader on the beach and dug out the Strom drains earlier this week.
> In the period after my contact RIDOT cleaned the manholes last spring there
> and at Sprague Street and. East Main Road.
>
> I would suggest you got to the RIDOT website under customer service and contact
> them again as another formal complaint.
>
> There was a formal complaint filed last week for the area at Dexter and East
> Main as all the water is going down I believe is Potomac and flooding yard
> and basements during a normal 3 day rain.
>
> Paul

To: Portsmouth Town Council, krizicl@portsmouthschoolsri.org, cynthia.perrotti@gmail.com
Cc: sandy@patch.com, johnson@newportri.com, sakonnet@eastbaynewspapers.com, rep-jay70@cox.net
Subject: Island Park flooding and school bus safety
Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:05:41 -0400

To the Town Council:
This morning, for the second time this week, heavy rains flooded Park Ave in Island Park, forcing schoolchildren to wade through ankle-deep water to board buses. On Tuesday, the streets were so impassable I had to use the Escape Bridge to drive my son to school.

Here's a photo from today:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmcdaid/6119653033/in/photostream

And one from Tuesday:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmcdaid/6119653033/in/photostream/

While such flooding is not a new issue (Channel 12 reported on it back in December of 2009: http://www.torvex.com/jmcdaid/node/1213) it's not clear to me whether things have suddenly gotten worse, perhaps because Irene contributed to blockages in the stormwater drains.

Whatever the cause, I would appreciate it if the Town Council could investigate this issue affecting the safety of Island Park residents and our children.

I'm cc'ing school Supt. Dr. Krizic and School Committee chair Cynthia Perrotti so that they're aware of the situation, and copying in local media and Jay Edwards, our state rep.

Best Regards.
-John

Full disclosure: I'm annoyed.