The New Shoreham Town Council had a discussion on infrastructure at its work session meeting on June 2. Town Manager Maryanne Crawford discussed the impacts she anticipates on the island’s infrastructure and discussed her objective to ensure that the island’s infrastructure is best prepared for continued development on Block Island.Crawford expects to “start seeing more folks staying here beyond the shoulder seasons,” she explained, saying she thought the island would become a “nine month community as opposed to a six month community.” She anticipates this having a major impact on the island’s water, sewer, roads, bridges, power, emergency services, and fire department.There has already been thought and planning put into these essential services and various town infrastructures, as the capital budget includes money for town road paving in 2023 at a cost of $1,000,000, and sidewalk improvements on Beach Avenue, Chapel Street, and Corn Neck Road also scheduled for 2023 totaling $1,250,000. The capital budget also has line items for the construction of a salt shed and a highway garage, although the $2,000,000 for these projects will be provided by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation rather than the town. There is also $2,000,000 projected for the construction
