CASE STUDY: Reconnecting Providence with the Woonasquatucket River Greenway

Providence's Woonasquatucket River has long been the focus of efforts to reconnect neighborhoods, expand recreational opportunities and improve environmental health. Over the past several decades, the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC), the City of Providence, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and other partners have transformed portions of the river corridor with parks, shared-use paths and public amenities.

The river, though just 16 miles long and with a watershed of only 50 square miles, has had an outsized impact on American industrial history. American Locomotive Works, US Rubber, Nicholson File and Brown & Sharpe were among the companies that helped shape the landscape, surrounding neighborhoods and the regional economy. But the contamination that these factories left behind, after decades of dyes, heavy metals and solvents being discharged directly into the river, is a legacy that Rhode Island is still grappling with.

To build on WRWC's vision of a river that is a community and environmental asset, the City of Providence partnered with Bowman to design and oversee construction of the newest one-mile segment of the Woonasquatucket River Greenway along Kinsley Avenue and Promenade Street. The project closes a critical gap between Eagle Square and downtown Providence, creating a continuous, separated route for pedestrians and cyclists while improving public access to the river and supporting future redevelopment within one of the city's most constrained urban corridors.

Challenge: Creating Space for a Greenway in a Dense Area

Designing a continuous multi-use greenway through an active industrial and commercial corridor required balancing the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, freight traffic, residential neighbors and adjacent businesses within an already limited public right-of-way.

The project also involved extensive coordination throughout design and construction with property owners, utility companies, RIDOT and permitting agencies. Environmental considerations added further complexity, including wetland and floodplain impacts, contaminated soils and historical and cultural resources that required environmental assessments and regulatory approvals at the local, state and federal levels.

Public engagement was equally important. Multiple public meetings, including live Spanish translation, were needed to ensure everyone had opportunities to participate throughout the planning and design process.

Solution: A Safer, More Connected Riverfront Greenway

Bowman led the preparation of final design plans, contract documents and construction oversight for the one-mile greenway extension between Eagle Square and Francis Street.

To create space for the separated multi-use trail, the design removed and narrowed travel lanes and introduced vertical separation through aesthetically appropriate fencing, new street trees and other plantings and a variety of traffic-calming features that improve safety while maintaining access for businesses and freight movement.

The project also transformed the corridor into a more welcoming public destination through new pocket parks, a kayak launch near Eagle Street, native landscaping, wayfinding signage, public art opportunities and green stormwater infrastructure that captures and treats runoff before it reaches the Woonasquatucket River.

Impact: Connecting Communities While Enhancing Environmental Resilience

The completed greenway closes one of the final missing links in the seven-mile Woonasquatucket River Greenway, providing a continuous, car-free connection between Eagle Square and downtown Providence.

Beyond improving pedestrian and bicycle mobility, the project expands public access to the river, supports outdoor recreation and creates inviting public spaces that strengthen connections between surrounding neighborhoods and local businesses. The incorporation of green infrastructure also improves stormwater management and contributes to the long-term health of the river.

The project has received widespread recognition for its transportation, planning and engineering achievements, earning the Excellence in Plan Implementation Award from the American Planning Association Rhode Island Chapter, the Innovative Transportation Solutions Award from WTS-Rhode Island, an Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Rhode Island and recognition from PeopleForBikes as one of the Best U.S. Bike Lanes of 2025.