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State won't budge on bridge
 A vehicle crosses the bridge on lower County Street in South Attleboro on the Pawtucket line that spans the train tracks before it was closed. The bridge-closed sign refers to the bridge further ahead over the Seven Mile River that was still being rebuilt. Now, it might be two years before this bridge project is completed. (Staff photo by MARK STOCKWELL)
Top Headlines The position was taken in a letter to state Rep. John Lepper, R-Attleboro, who pushed state transportation officials for details on the decision that cuts off a cluster of automotive shops from drive-by customers by closing the Amtrak railroad bridge near Capt. Courtois Drive for reconstruction. And based on the information he received, Lepper, who called the predicament "very unfortunate," said he doesn't see any way out of the situation for the shops, which are losing money and could go out of business. "It's a tough situation, but the alternatives will make the project longer, and even more inconvenient," Lepper said. "It's very unfortunate that some people are taking the brunt of progress being made." Lepper pushed for explanations from the state's Executive Office of Transportation after being contacted by at least two business owners. Transportation Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky said in a letter to Lepper that concerns about the businesses prompted a review of a request to keep one lane open and other alternatives, but in the end officials decided they had to stick with the plan in hand. Keeping one lane open by demolishing the stone-abutment bridge in stages is very difficult and might not be possible at all, she said. Other officials have said the span could become unsafe for one lane if that method were used. "After reviewing various options, we are confident that the construction plan currently in place is the best way to move forward," Paiewonsky said, noting time and money would be lost with changes. "Please be assured that every effort will be made to expedite this project and minimize its impacts." The job is the second part of a two-bridge, $6.6 million project begun about a year ago. Businesses, which are now located on dead ends because of the span closures, have been losing money ever since - and with at least two years of construction ahead, there's little relief in sight. The first bridge over the Seven Mile River was finished last month. State officials have authorized seven-day work weeks to speed up construction of the bridge over the railroad tracks and have promised to open one lane when the bridge is 80 percent complete. Lepper is the third local official to come to the conclusion that the current plan is the only feasible option. Earlier, both Mayor Kevin Dumas and City Councilor Walter Thibodeau, chairman of the transportation and traffic committee, said they could see no way out of the dilemma as it stands now. Lepper made his request to Executive Office of Transportation prior to the publication of a story in The Sun Chronicle last week about two businesses that were given tax abatements because they are losing so much money. One, Pinecrest Motors, expects to go out of business. Other alternatives, such as the construction of a temporary road or a detour through a shopping center have negative impacts of their own, Lepper said. John Case, who owns a gravel pit next to the bridge, offered to build the temporary road looping through his property and the property of Sterry Street Towing, but officials rejected it, saying an at-grade rail crossing on the high-speed line between Boston and New York is too dangerous. A detour from Newport Avenue through the Bristol Place shopping center into the Capt. Courtois Drive area was also rejected because it would run through densely populated neighborhoods over narrow streets. GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.
Post Your Comments Chet wrote on Jul 6, 2007 5:42 PM: " I really thing Ego is a huge problem with this situation. Why don't they take up the Case Construction offer to build a temp road? Because they will look very bad when the public sees that this road will be built quickly, safely, and won't cost the tax payers millions of dollars. " Cynic wrote on Jul 6, 2007 2:09 PM: " Okay TPP - maybe Gov T&S can come in like the saint some say he is and save the businesses.
Get it straight. The Gov has been in office for six months, it's HIS administration. He has all the wonderful ideas show me where he cares about small business. " and yet wrote on Jul 6, 2007 12:57 PM: " They will take property from downtown owners but they won't borrow a road from a landowner? " hindsight wrote on Jul 6, 2007 12:24 PM: " How is it Patton can move tanks across the Rhine in under 48 hours, but the evil Axis of Amtrack, the state and the contractors take years to hash out building two bridges? So much for American ingenuity. Oh wait, that medical center on Rt 1 is almost open, I stand corrected. " TPP from Attleboro wrote on Jul 6, 2007 11:51 AM: " To Business Friendly? and Cynic who are claiming that it is the Deval Patrick administration who is repsonsible for this and cares nothing for local businesses, give it up!! This plan was conceived and started way before anyone in Massachusetts had even heard of Deval Patrick, so stop the trash and burn politikcing and stick to the story!
I do feel for these business owners, and as someone who lives 2 minutes from construction, I am effected everyday as well. Lets keep our focus on the issue and try to come up with real proposals with solutions that can be palpable to everyone. " Excuse me wrote on Jul 6, 2007 11:04 AM: " County street empties into Pawtucket in a very busy area. Bristol Place would be an improvement. " Huh? wrote on Jul 6, 2007 10:59 AM: " Lemonade from lemons? What silly feel-good book has Mike been reading? People are being s----ed out of their livelyhoods and Mike is saying to make lemonade? Does Mike work for a road building company or the state? It's tough to make lemonade when your kitchen is being repossesed by the bank because someone working for the state doesn't give a c**p about working people. " Just do it! wrote on Jul 6, 2007 10:30 AM: " "A detour from Newport Avenue through the Bristol Place shopping center into the Capt. Courtois Drive area was also rejected because it would run through densely populated neighborhoods over narrow streets." Put out some temporary speed bumps along the road.(they are fastenened to the road) Have a patrol car drive thru every so often. Have neighbors report bad driving. Problem solved.
" Cynic wrote on Jul 6, 2007 10:22 AM: " Mike, you must be a Democrat / Dumas supporter. Also, your solution to just abandon everything and tell these people to start over shows me that you must work for the government. Who else would put there hands in the air and say it's someone else's problem. This was a deliberate act on the part of the state government neglecting the infrastructure. These business owners / employers put their hearts as well as their money into their own businesses and you say too bad. They are not the victims of an act of nature but of the government not caring about the source of its income -tax payers.
If the NY Post published an Attleboro addition the head line would read: PATRICK TO BUSINESS OWNERS: DROP DEAD
" Mike wrote on Jul 6, 2007 9:45 AM: " The best thing to do is to make lemonade from lemons. The rail crossing solution appearst to be a legitamate concern. Not sure of the plaza detour or where it is.... but I would be negotiating the next best thing. Someone must be simpathetic to this situation. If not, close and move on... an oppertunity will come along. " Business Friendly? wrote on Jul 6, 2007 9:04 AM: " I think this shows how much the administration of Governor Tax & Spend and his local flunkies care about small businesses. " or
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