Part 8: Bridge Memorial signs on the EPVME

On Nov. 11, 1961, the new (in December 1959) EP expressway, Route 195, was named the EP Veterans’ Memorial Expressway (EPVME).

Thirteen bridges or spans exist along the 4 miles between the Seekonk River (Washington Bridge) and the RI / Seekonk, Mass. state line (Runnins River). The 14th bridge, on Wampanoag Trail, is 1.3 mile from I-195, on the East Shore Expressway (ESE).

Each of the 14 bridges was named in memory of 2 veterans. Twenty-five men died while serving in WWII. Three (Lusignan, Leighton, Halton) died during the Korean War. Colonel William Halton served in WWII and was killed in the Korean War. Seventeen men served in the Army, two in the Navy, five in the Air Force (Army Air Corps, Army Air Force), and four in the Marine Corps. (View all the names on the EPVMER2021 re-dedication program on the website.)

During the last 60 years, the memorial signs on these bridges disappeared and had been forgotten. Only 7 of the 25 memorial signs remained. Potter St., Purchase St., and Lyon Ave.; each had one sign remaining. Pairs of signs still exist on Broadway and Pawtucket Ave. These 24" x 24" signs have an eagle.

When a bridge is rebuilt, the memorial sign is usually replaced if it is missing. This was not the case when the bridges along the EPVME were recently rebuilt (2014 through 2019) by RI Rhode Works.

A Pierce Field EP historian, Susan Cady, has been documenting where houses were moved in 1957-1958 before the expressway was built. She discovered 14, not 5, memorial bridges originally existed. The original letters submitted by families and friends to nominate their KIA veteran for a bridge memorial on Route 195 were recently found in the City Hall basement. (All records were not lost when the City Hall burned down in 1976!) From Nov. 1- Nov. 12 (2021) copies of these nomination letters will be /were on display in the City Hall lobby. Copies are archived in the Hunts House, the EP Historical Society’s Museum. www.ephist.org 

Susan learned two families (Fontes, Reid) were trying to replace their missing bridge memorial signs. After writing a proposal, Susan and Gordon Hubbard spoke briefly with EP Mayor Robert DaSilva in January 2020. In Feb. 2021, Councilwoman Anna M. Sousa introduced Resolution #119 “requesting RIDOT to reinstall memorial signage in honor of veterans”. This summer, drafts of the memorial signs were shared with 6 veterans' families and their comments were forwarded to RIDOT. The proofs of the signs were approved on Sept. 27, 2021. The 12 larger (30" x 36") pairs of replacement signs, with an anchor, appeared before mid-October 2021.

Four pairs of signs are along Warren Ave. under the overhead bridges at the Veterans Memorial Parkway and ESE ramps. Three spans have one way traffic and thus one sign. 1. The sign for the Taunton Ave. exit is on the right of the off ramp before Cobb St. 2. Across from St. Mary’s Church, the sign is posted on the right of the Warren Ave. on-ramp to Providence. 3. The sign for the former 1959 Horton Farm Bridge over I-195 is on the left of the Providence bound incline from Warren Ave. (This road merges with traffic exiting from the ESE). Six bridges cross over I-195 (north to south) as the freeway stretches east to west. One bridge is on the Wampanoag Trail.

The signs are to be /were re-dedicated at a re-enactment of the 1961 double dedication ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, at Pierce Memorial Stadium 1 p. m. -3 p. m. In 1961, each sign was individually dedicated on site after the assembled dedication ceremony. To re-enact this event, a walk-up visitation of the signs between Valley St. and Broadway is/was on Sunday, Nov. 7th from 1 p. m. - 3 p. m. This visit any sign, in any order, follows/ed the dedication of the Andrews Brothers exit ramp on Broadway at 12:45 p. m. - 1 p. m. Please view the other signs safely from your car.

Maps showing these bridge and sign locations are included in the on-line stay at home EPVMER2021 ceremony and Korean War Honor Roll tribute to our EP veterans. View any time at www.sites.google.com/view/epvmer2021, use the library internet, or check out (in Nov. 2021) a DVD disc from the library.

The EP Post will publish a special Veterans' Day tribute for EP Veterans using the names submitted to the EP Military Service Honor Roll. This detailed virtual Honor Roll is viewable at www.ephist.org under the “downloads” tab. This Honor Roll will be/ was presented to the City of E. Prov. during the Nov. 6th ceremony. On this 60th anniversary, veterans from all wars and service events thus will be included and recognized by the naming of the EP expressway for our EP veterans.