Last year, on October 25, 2023, following a bicyclist fatality on Admiral Kalbfus Road, the Newport City Council passed a resolution asking the RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to make safety improvements on this state road. Recently, on October 3, 2024, the Council reviewed and discussed the resulting recommendations at a dedicated Council Workshop. Here is a timeline of the related activities from October 25, 2023 to now.
October 25, 2023: Original City Council Resolution
In response to ongoing concerns by residents and well-documented excessive traffic speed and volume, running of red lights, the presence of oversized vehicles and related exhaust, and a tragic bicycle fatality on this road, Newport City Council passed a resolution to ask RIDOT for traffic calming measures on Admiral Kalbfus Road, including:
- Updated traffic signals at Admiral Kalbus / Hillside
- No turn on Red at Admiral Kalbfus / Hillside
- Speed and red light cameras at Admiral Kalbfus / Sagamore
- Weight restrictions on Admiral Kalbfus
August 15, 2024: Meeting RIDOT and City
RIDOT met with representatives of the City Administration, City Council, and residents for an update on Admiral Kalbus. This meeting was followed by a memo recap from RIDOT to the City Manager on August 23, 2024, reviewing RIDOT’s actions and recommendations. You can read the memo HERE. The details include:
- Upcoming installation of reflective backplates on signals at Admiral Kalbfus / Hillside and Admiral Kalbfus / Broadway / West Main Road
- Completed installation of No Turn on Red in all directions at Admiral Kalbfus / Hillside
- Explanation of the requirements for speed and red light cameras, which include equipment and engineering certifications to be conducted by the City
- Inclusion of RRFBs (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons) at Sagamore Street in an upcoming safety contract, date TBD
- The option to restripe the roadway to provide 10-foot travel lanes and buffered 5-foot bike lanes along the corridor
HOW TO RESTRICT TRUCKS: As RIDOT staff explained, Admiral Kalbus Road, SR 138, currently has no weight restrictions. To restrict trucks by size and weight, the “conditions” of the road itself must change. The combination of narrowing the travel lanes and adding the bike lanes will qualify the road for review by the State Traffic Council to change the designation of the road and, with that, to restrict the size and weight of vehicles on the road.
September 10, 2024: Meeting RIDOT and Ride Island
Ride Island partners Bike Newport and Toole Design met with RIDOT to propose some ways to further improve safety:
- Improving transitions between the bike lanes and the shared use path
- Improving transitions when the bike lanes end
- Reducing turning radii at the AK intersections with West Main Road, Hillside Avenue, and Girard Avenue
- Adding dedicated and leading signals for pedestrians and bicycles to improve intersection safety
These suggestions were accepted by RIDOT with the understanding that some signage could be added and the other recommendations could be evaluated and added later if commercial vehicle weight restriction is approved by the State Traffic Council.
September 11, 2024: RIDOT communication presented to City Council
City Manager Colin Kennedy presented the RIDOT original design to the City Council for consideration. Councilor Angela Lima called for a Council Workshop to review the RIDOT recommendations, and the motion was approved by her fellow councilors.
October 3, 2024: City Council Workshop
Watch the Workshop HERE.
City Council held the Workshop regarding Traffic Calming on Admiral Kalbfus, and the City Manager presented RIDOT’s updated options which include:
- Signage related to the bike lanes merges
- Recommendations to evaluate turn radii and bike lane transitions
RIDOT was not present at the meeting; the councilors asked questions of the City Manager and Bari Freeman of Bike Newport, and invited comment from several residents of Admiral Kalbfus.
Discussion focused on:
- Where signage would be placed to alert trucks to the restrictions
- Acknowledging that Newport Police will be responsible for enforcement, and that Newport Police is prepared with officers trained in commercial enforcement
- The use of “Truck GPS” to change truck routes
- Working with the Town of Middletown to communicate with truckers to exit West Main Road southbound at Connell/Coddington Highway
- Recognizing the painted road changes as first steps to improve safety, with later steps to introduce extension of the separated shared use path on Admiral Kalbfus and continued connections across and onto West Main Road
- Review of the extremely difficult and dangerous conditions for the residents of Admiral Kalbfus Road between Hillside and West Main Road, which have become exponentially worse since the completion of the Pell Bridge ramp realignment
Next steps:
- The Council will vote on moving forward with the traffic calming measures, specifically narrowing the travel lanes and adding the bike lanes.
- Consultation with Middletown about their roads that could potentially be impacted by the changes, including diverted truck traffic, to get their input.
- When City approvals are in place, the State Traffic Council will discuss imposing weight restrictions.
- With State Traffic Council approval, a schedule will be determined for establishing the new travel lanes and bike lanes.
Bike Newport