Pot+Holes+on+Rt.+102

Democracy and Active Citizenship Project
 * What should be prepared for the Dialogues in Democracy Night? Click the link below to find out: **

__Problem Statement:__
Drivers should be able to travel without changing lanes or swerving because of a pothole that could ruin their car. Potholes are a big problem in Rhode Island like in many other states and pose a very serious danger to drivers who travel on roads infested with them. If we do not fix this problem, the potholes will grow larger, more people will be paying for car repairs because of potholes and the roads will become less safe because of cars avoiding potholes and potentially instigating accidents. We will lobby at the State House and meet with legislators to bring this problem to their front door and get those potholes either filled in efficiently, or have the road re-paved so the drivers can have one less thing to worry about.

__Bill or Policy:__
**2010 -- H BILL # ** ======= LC01752 ß  ignore this because it will be taken care of by the House Clerk =======

**S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D **

**IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY **

**June SESSION, A.D. 2010 **

A N A C T RELATING TO ROAD CONDITIONS

__Introduced By __: Representative Costa __Date Introduced __: __Referred To __:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 15.3333px;">It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: **2** **3**  **4**  **5**  **6**  **7**  **8**  **9**  **10** || __Preamble:__ Whereas damage to cars because of potholes is increasing, the situation needs to be addressed by the state government and by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. These potholes are causing thousands of dollars in damage to automobiles to families that cannot afford to pay them. This should be addressed by the government because the roads are handled and maintained by the government. __Section 1:__ Let laws be made that require monthly revisions of all Rhode Island roads. __Section 2:__ Let laws be made so that all roads have less than one pothole per mile. __Section 3:__ Let Department of Transportation policy have a reward system so that for every pothole workers fill in and/or repave, they shall receive $10. __Section 4:__ This bill shall go into effect 90 days after passage. ||
 * Title of Bill:**
 * **1**






 * __Lobbying Plan:__**

** Lobbying Plan **

The fixing of the potholes near Oatley’s Restaurant on Rt. 102, particularly in the right hand lane heading eastbound towards Wickford.

**Timeline:** A message will be sent to Representative Costa on May 20, 2011. A follow up visit and/or message will take place on May 24, 2011. The messages will be send by email, phone and in person.

**Find a sponsor (State Rep, Town Council, School Committee):** Emails, letters and calls will be made to local town council members and Representative Costa.

**Build coalitions of support:** Groups that would be likely to support this issue would be: local drivers, nearby residents and Oatley’s employees.

**Try to work with your opposition:** The opposition would be conservative taxpayers who would want the money directed elsewhere, rather than to fix the potholes. Our plan to deal with this is to appease to them and explain that it would benefit drivers who use this road as it will result in less damage reports and car repair bills.

**Plan for attending committee meetings:** We will provide testimony’s of drivers who have had to pay for car repairs because of these potholes and of Oatley’s employees. No signs will be made for the meeting at the town hall.

__Direct Action Plan:__
Planning Direct Action

· Our goal is to reduce the amount of potholes near Oatley’s Restaurant on Rt. 102. We hope to get public attention and awareness. · With our direct action, we will get about forty people from all over the state to go to the State House during the day. We will meet with legislatures, mostly from Washington County, to convince them to fix the potholes. · This will be held during the day when many legislatures are in their offices for work. · We hope that this will bring the issue to them directly and get it resolved quickly and efficiently.

__Leaflet / Flyer:__


__ Potholes __ ** They’re a problem! ** Call your local legislators and spread the word. Our roads are not safe and we need to change that! For more information, feel free to email me: Zakary_Pereira@nksd.net

__Media Advisory:__



 * __Press Release:__**

__Letter to Elected Official:__
**Zakary Pereira** **(401)-268-3837** Zakary_Pereira@nksd.net 1006 Old Baptist RD

<span style="border: medium none; display: block; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; padding: 0in; text-align: right;"> North Kingstown, RI 02852

May 05, 2011 [|Doreen Marie Costa] State Representative State House 82 Smith Street Providence, RI 02903-1105

Dear Representative Costa;

Anyone who travels on Rt. 102 near Oatley's Restaurant and the Rolling Greens Golf course can tell you how bad the roads are. Potholes infest the lanes, especially the right lane heading east towards Walmart and Home Depot. Potholes are dangerous and not many will deny that fact. Potholes across the state need to be fixed, but for now I am calling for these specific potholes to be filled in or paved over.

I suggest that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation be notified of the problem and take action to either fill in or pave over the potholes. I was recently taking my driving lessons with AAA Driving School and we had traveled down Rt. 102 towards Wicford. My instructor told me to use the left lane heading east to avoid the potholes that had ruined the car’s axel of a person he knows. A week later, my mom and I traveled down the road again but I was using the right lane. It felt like I was driving on Swiss cheese. It could have damaged my mom’s new car and probably would have if I were speeding.

Potholes are a big problem in Rhode Island. People in all its municipalities will agree. They deter trips to cities and towns that are riddled with them and damage cars that people in the current economy cannot afford to fix. The bottom line is, potholes are dangerous and need to be taken care of quickly and effectively.

Sincerely,

Zakary Pereira

__Letter to the Editor:__
Zakary Pereira

1006 Old Baptist RD

North Kingstown, RI

02852

(401) 268-3837

June 7, 2011

To the Editor,

I am a driver in the state of Rhode Island and am appalled at the conditions of our roads. Our roads are in such a bad condition that potholes are numerous on most streets in the state. Potholes are causing drivers to swerve to avoid them and endanger themselves and others. We need to change that. The department of transportation in the state of Rhode Island has been slacking. They need to get on the roads and fill in potholes as soon as possible. These road obstacles are very dangerous to cars and drivers. They are causing people to pay for repairs for their cars when they cannot afford to keep their house or pay their bills. This could be easily avoidable if the department of transportation was filling in more potholes throughout the state. Join our rally on June 15, 2011 at 1:30pm at the Rhode Island State House. Bring all who want our roads fixed now! Sincerely, Zakary Pereira

__Public Service Announcement:__
A RALLY WILL BE HELD AT THE RHODE ISLAND STATE HOUSE ON JUNE 15, AT 1:30PM ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF RHODE ISLAND ROADS. THERE WILL BE SIGNS TO HAND OUT TO ATTENDING PEOPLE AND T-SHIRTS AS WELL. PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN AND PROTEST THE STATE’S ROAD CONDITIONS.

Send to: 93.3 FM, 92.3 FM, 94.5 FM, 94.1 FM, 1400 AM, 95.5 FM and WHJJ 920 AM

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 180%;">REMINDER: Dialogues for Democracy will be held at 7:00 PM Thursday June 9th in the high school cafeteria. You are required to be there.

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