Competition Underway for Railway Bridge

Fox Point neighbors have been debating the fate of the Crook Point Bascule Bridge, the railway bridge over the Seekonk River that has been frozen in the “up” position for nearly 45 years. Several neighbors spoke in favor of restoring the structure at a pre-Covid FPNA meeting, saying that the bridge provides a special, even iconic, sense of place for residents and passersby. Others pointed to the dire state of the City budget—and to another costly bridge recently erected on the Providence River—and contended that the benefits of restoration don’t outweigh the costs.

Yet over the past few months, there has been movement to restore or reuse the structure in some way. Not only has the Providence Preservation Society placed the bridge on its annual Most Endangered Properties list, but the City has initiated a design competition “to solicit creative ideas” for its reuse. Entries will be considered during the Winter and early Spring, with the help of jurors from a variety of spheres, including representation from neighborhood organizations. We will keep you posted as the process plays out.

Image: Nadia Pollock