Roads throughout the city will be fixed if voters approve a $40 million bond on November 6th. The Mayor’s Office is conducting a series of informational meetings to explain the scientific, merit-based process that was used to identify roads for repair. Residents of Providence can view the list of planned street improvements in the capital city and are encouraged to attend whichever forum is convenient to their schedule (it doesn’t have to be your neighborhood).

• Tuesday, October 2 at 7pm: Nathan Bishop Middle School, 101 Session Street

• Wednesday, October 10 at 7pm: RFK Elementary School, 195 Nelson Street in Elmhurst

• Tuesday, October 16 at 7pm: William D’Abate Elementary School, 60 Kossuth Street in Olneyville

• Tuesday, October 23 at 7pm: William B. Cooley High School, 182 Thurbers Avenue in South Providence

The Mayor’s Office states, “If Ballot Question 8 is approved by Providence’s voters, the bond would pay for repairs to about 15 percent of all city-maintained roads in every part of Providence, create an estimated 750 jobs over three years, prevent more costly road repairs in future years, improve the quality of life in Providence and help to retain and recruit businesses to the capital city. If approved, road construction will begin in the spring of 2013 and continue through the end of 2015.”

I’d heard the rumors, but am giddy about the evidence. My commute to work, always fastest on bike, is now safer and more dignified.

Contrary to all outward appearances this bridge is still open to traffic. If you slow down and scoot around the right end of the orange barrier you can keep going straight and access the exits that take you to Massasoit Avenue or North Broadway in East Providence. It was recently reported that Rhode Island bridges are the fourth worst in the country but this one is in a class all by itself. The Henderson Bridge (still named for its designer because no politician has ever wanted his name associated with this albatross) was never quite finished and seems to have been mostly Jersey barriers to begin with. An East Providence bridge listed as the ‘Red Bridge’ built in 1969 and crossing the Seekonk River is listed by RIDOT as ‘Structurally Deficient’. At the very least that should be the New Red Bridge. It is unclear which of these bridge names you should use on your accident report.