Infrastructure Bank Awards Community Project Assistance Grants To 8 Municipal Projects Across State

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: October 31, 2025

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, the state’s central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses, and homeowners has approved a total of $377,500 in Community Project Assistance Fund grant awards for the communities of Jamestown, Lincoln, Middletown, North Smithfield, Pawtucket, Scituate, South Kingstown, and West Warwick. Grants will be used by each community for technical assistance to support design, feasibility analysis, needs assessment, strategic planning and engineering for projects that advance community resilience, improve stormwater management, and enhance public infrastructure.

“We hear from our cities and town partners all the time that they need help getting key infrastructure projects off the ground with initial planning and technical assistance,” said Bill Fazioli, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank. “That is why we created the Community Project Assistance Fund and are pleased to announce our first 8 grant awards for engineering, stormwater improvements, wastewater management plans, and community resilience projects across the state. With planning work supported by these grants, we are confident these projects will be able to move forward and apply for low-cost financing through the Bank for eventual construction and implementation.”

“Infrastructure projects don’t happen without significant upfront investments in planning and engineering,” said Infrastructure Bank Board Chair Vahid Ownjazayeri. “That is why earlier this year the Board strongly supported the creation of the Community Project Assistance Fund and allocated $500,000 for grant awards. We are pleased to see the interest in the program, and the important stormwater and resilience projects these grants will help move forward.

The Community Project Assistance Fund remains open to additional municipal project applications until grant resources are exhausted.

Grant Awards

Jamestown – $27,500
Project Name: Jamestown Wastewater Treatment Climate Resilience Plan

The Town will develop a Wastewater Treatment Climate Resilience Plan. This plan will include an assessment of current and projected impacts from natural hazards on critical components with the town’s collection and treatment systems as well as on the system themselves. This plan will be prepared by the town’s Engineering Consultant, who is currently designing improvements to the wastewater treatment plant, pump stations, and collection system. The plan will provide and select adaptation methods to make the wastewater infrastructure resilient to sea-level rise and impacts to high natural hazard events. This infrastructure is critical to the town, and all residents will benefit from having a plan to ensure the long-term operation of the Wastewater system.

Lincoln – $50,000
Project Name: Handy Pond Dam Improvements

The project scope included preparing final engineering and permitting documents to address deficiencies at Handy Pond Dam. The project will be completed through detailed design, technical analyses, and permit applications to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The project aims to improve stormwater conveyance during higher storm events, including up to the ½ year Probable Maximum Flood (PMF), thereby increasing the dam’s capacity and enhancing the Town of Lincoln’s overall resiliency during heavy rain events.

Middletown – $50,000
Project Name: Shoreline Management at Second and Third Beaches

The Town of Middletown aims to protect its coastal areas and strengthen community resilience in response to climate change, which has contributed to rising sea levels and increased storm surge events. These factors have accelerated erosion along the coastline of Middletown. This project focuses on Second and Third Beaches, which are critical to the town’s economy, recreation, and environmental health. The initiative aims to address ongoing erosion, sediment transport challenges, and the impacts of sea level rise and extreme weather events. The project will deliver actionable solutions through technical assistance, including:

• Survey Data Analysis: Assessing beach morphology and sediment transport using topographic and hydrographic surveys.
• Drone Imagery Analysis: Conducting seasonal drone surveys to refine elevation data and improve shoreline management models.
• Model Refinement: Updating hydrodynamic and morphologic models to simulate effective shoreline management scenarios.

North Smithfield – $50,000
Project Name: Dawley Brook Master Plan

The Town of North Smithfield has experienced an increased frequency of flooding events along Dawley Brook and has witnessed temporary road closures, property damage and an increased need for town resources to repair damage and protect its residents. The project’s goal aims to protect public infrastructure and private property and to strengthen community resilience in response to climate change. This project focuses on Dawley Brook which flows through an area of town that is central to the town’s economy, recreation and environmental health. The initiative aims to develop a Stormwater Master Plan for the Dawley Brook corridor from the Massachusetts State line southerly to its discharge into the Branch River.

Pawtucket – $50,000
Project Name: Pleasant Street Sanitary Sewer Overflow Mitigation

The City of Pawtucket proposes to undertake a feasibility and conceptual design project to address recurring sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) at the Pleasant Street and Lyman Street intersection. This location is one of the City’s most critical SSO sites, with flooding that disrupts traffic flow and impedes access to Tidewater Landing, a newly developed soccer stadium and mixed-use district that anchors Pawtucket’s economic growth. Existing system data, modeling outputs, and preliminary design materials will be reviewed and incorporated to avoid duplication of effort and ensure consistency with regional wastewater planning. Deliverables will include a feasibility study report, conceptual design drawings, and order-of-magnitude cost estimates.

Scituate – $50,000
Project Name: Stormwater Flood Mitigation and Management Strategies

The project scope involves addressing chronic flooding on Doray Drive, as identified in the Town of Scituate’s 2025 Hazard Mitigation and Flood Management Plan. Specifically, the project will analyze shallow flooding (sheet flow and ponding) during high precipitation events, which affects low-lying sections of town-owned roads and nearby properties, including Doray Drive. The study aims to identify solutions that could also benefit other areas experiencing similar chronic flooding issues. By delineating the contributing watershed and evaluating current conditions, the project allows for targeted interventions to reduce shallow flooding, which poses risks to public safety, property, and infrastructure during heavy precipitation events.

South Kingstown – $50,000
Project Name: Bell Block Parking Area Stormwater Design

The town seeks funding to redesign the Bell Block Building parking area with a focus on effective stormwater management. The project will incorporate stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the volume, flow rate, and pollution of runoff before it enters the Saugatucket River. It is anticipated that stormwater BMPs to be utilized may include bioswales, bioretention basins, and utilization of pervious pavement. South Kingstown has identified the parking facility behind the historic Bell Block Building on Main Street as a top priority for flood mitigation, stormwater management, and resilience improvements. This heavily used public parking area serves residents, visitors, and local businesses, while also providing access to surrounding natural areas including Saugatucket Park.

West Warwick – $50,000
Project Name: New London Turnpike Interceptor Analysis

The Town of West Warwick needs to inspect 4,500 linear feet of sewer line located within the New London Turnpike Interceptor to determine the integrity of the infrastructure. The inspection is a crucial step with regards to ascertaining the viability of multiple proposed residential developments in various communities, which are serviced by the West Warwick Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, resulting in a significant increase in proposed daily flow moving through the New London Turnpike Interceptor. The following will be performed:

• Install flow meters to assess flows from West Warwick to the New London Interceptor.
• Conduct CCTV inspection of the sewers.
• Contract with surveyor to survey 4,500 feet of sewer, as no existing plans are available, to establish inverts and distances between manholes.

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About the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank
Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank is Rhode Island’s central hub for financing infrastructure improvements for municipalities, businesses, and homeowners. We leverage capital in a revolving fund to offer innovative financing for an array of infrastructure-based projects including water and wastewater, road and bridge, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and brownfield remediation. These quality-of-life projects improve the State’s infrastructure, create jobs, promote economic development, and enhance the environment. www.riib.org – Facebook: @RIinfrastructure – Twitter: @RI_InfraBank