March 9, 2020

MAYOR LISA BALDELLI-HUNT ANNOUNCES PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY
IMPROVEMENTS OUTSIDE SENIOR CENTER

WOONSOCKET, R.I.: Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt announces multiple ADA upgrades and the installation of a pedestrian crossing signal are currently underway to improve visitor ingress to and egress from the Senior Center located at 84 Social Street.

"I am pleased to see this important project swiftly progressing," said Mayor Baldelli-Hunt. "The scheduled enhancements will provide all guests of our City's primary senior social center with safe and comfortable travel and universal accessibility."
The slated improvements meet handicap accessibility guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Upgrades will include sidewalk reconstruction with ADA ramps to enable easier crossing over Social Street from the Senior Center to the public sidewalk located along the post office property. Additionally, a pedestrian crossing signal utilizing a series of high-intensity, rapidly flashing amber-colored LED lights to alert motorists to the presence of a person located within a marked crosswalk will also be installed in front of the center.

"This is a nice, safe improvement for all visitors to our highly utilized Senior Center," said City Superintendent of Engineering Michael Debroisse. "In addition to these ongoing improvements, the City is simultaneously studying traffic flow through the Senior Center parking lot."

"Considering the large amount of pedestrian traffic, the Senior Center offers an ideal location for the City to add a self-contained solar powered pedestrian crossing warning system which has proven helpful in four other locations in Woonsocket," said Public Works Director Steven D'Agostino.

The cost of the improvements will be funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds issued through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
"I am looking forward to seeing the completed project which I am confident will improve the quality of each visitor's trip to and from our City's Senior Center," said Mayor Baldelli-Hunt.

As always, pedestrians must exercise reasonable care of their safety when using any and all crosswalks regardless of the crossing safety mechanisms that are in place.

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Office of the Mayor
WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND
City Hall ⬧ P.O. Box B ⬧ Woonsocket, RI 02895
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