The Slatersville Stone Arch Bridge was built in 1856 as part of the Slatersville which was home to the mill workers for the Slater. This design has become known as the “Rhode Island system.” This bridge is considered a contributing element to the Slatersville Historic District.
Undertaking
In the 1980s, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) found the bridge to be deteriorating and proposed a full replacement. The project was paused until around 2013 when the Slatersville Stone Arch Bridge rehabilitation project was initiated with the Section 106 process. Rehabilitation work then began in 2017.
Outcome
Rehabilitation concluded by the summer of 2018 and it documented the first use of machine stitching in rehabilitating bridges in Rhode Island. The bridge is still in use and people travel along the bridge to this day.
This case demonstrates how long the Section 106 process can be. It is usually around 30 days for each step, but this does vary, as seen in this case. Also, this case uses new technologies that are helpful to historic preservation.
Section 106