In an effort to assist municipalities in implementing infrastructure projects for which Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant money has been awarded, RIDOT has chosen McMahon as one of its consulting firms to provide on-call engineering, planning, and design services for the Rhode Island SRTS program.  The on-call contract has a value of $1.3 million and a construction value of $3.0 million. McMahon has prepared preliminary and final design plans for the design of infrastructure improvements for six schools, including sidewalks, curb ramps, speed bumps, multi-use paths, school zone signage including flashing LED speed limit signs, crosswalks and pavement markings, and traffic calming elements. We have also designed several dry swales and sand filters to provide stormwater quality treatment. McMahon prepared the RIDEM Freshwater Wetland applications for four of the schools. In addition, McMahon participated in coordination with individual communities, investigation of cultural resources, and the design of a fiber reinforced polymer pedestrian bridge.

Kent Heights Elementary School

Kent Heights Elementary School, located in East Providence, RI, provided a sidewalk connection for those students that walk to school from the east side of Pawtucket Avenue.  Small areas of existing bituminous sidewalks were replaced and sidewalk and curb ramps were installed between the sidewalks surrounding the school and the Fuller Creative Learning Center located a few blocks away.  The sidewalk was designed to maintain the existing street trees located within the project limits while maintaining a continuous ADA-compliant concrete path to the surrounding area.

Myron J. Francis Elementary School

Myron J. Francis Elementary School, located in East Providence, RI, upgraded its sidewalk facilities on Horsford Avenue leading up to the school.  Existing bituminous sidewalks were replaced with ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks and curb ramps to provide a continuous path from residential roadways to the school property.  Areas of poor pavement were removed and reconstructed with new pavement structure.

Western Hills Middle School

Western Hills Middle School, located in Cranston, RI, installed ADA-compliant sidewalk and curb ramps on Ambrose Street from the school entrance to Cranston Street.  Speed humps were installed on Ambrose Street to lessen vehicle speeds on this roadway.  A bioretention dry swale was installed to the east of the roadway to replace the outdated drainage features located adjacent to the corridor.  Construction of a floodplain compensation area was also required.  In addition, bicycle racks were installed in front of the school.

Barrington Middle School

Barrington Middle School, located in Barrington, RI, expanded its sidewalk facilities on Middle Highway leading up to the school.  New ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks and curb ramps were designed from the end of the existing sidewalk at Seven Oaks Drive to the East Bay Bike Path.  Relocation of utility poles were required in order to provide ADA-compliant clearances for the sidewalks, resulting in easements and coordination with the RIDOT right-of-way section.  An existing gas line located adjacent to the proposed curb required alternative curb designs.  Drainage structures were modified to accommodate the proposed improvements.  New flashing school zone speed limit signs were installed on the roadways leading to the school.

Primrose Hill Elementary School

Primrose Hill Elementary School, located in Barrington, RI, upgraded the bituminous sidewalk facilities approaching the school in both directions on Middle Highway, from the St. Andrews Farm Soccer Field to Sherwood Lane.  The ADA-compliant concrete sidewalk and curb ramps were installed with a grass buffer between the sidewalk and the roadway.  Drainage structures were modified to accommodate the proposed improvements.  New flashing school zone speed limit signs were installed on the roadways leading to the school.  In addition, bicycle racks were installed in front of the school.

Narragansett Pier Middle School

Narragansett Pier Middle School, located in Narragansett, RI, wished to provide an improved route for pedestrians and bicyclists traveling from their entrance on South Pier Road, past Narragansett High School, to Prospect Avenue and Central Street, located to the north of the school.  The existing site had multiple constraints due to existing parking lots, access roadways, athletic fields, including a hammer throw area, topography (steep hills), and vegetation.  Sidewalks and a shared use path were designed to provide this connection with minimal impacts to the existing features.  Curb ramps were provided at all crossings with appropriate crosswalk signage and striping.  Pavement markings were added on South Pier Road in the vicinity of the school driveway to alert drivers of the school zone.  Porous rubber sidewalk was used for a portion of the shared use path to lessen the impacts to stormwater.  A sand filter was designed to accommodate the changes in stormwater flow within the project limits along with providing treatment of stormwater quality.  Landscaping was designed for one of the spurs of the path.  McMahon was involved in the coordination of the design of a pedestrian bridge crossing a wetland, which required an Application to Alter a Freshwater Wetland from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM).  Continuous coordination with the school and Town was required throughout the design process.