PAWTUCKET – As sidewalks and curbing age, the storm drains they contain tend to collapse in on themselves, preventing the flow of water and leading to street and home flooding.
Pawtucket has been tackling the problem over the last couple of years, and has made great progress, according to city staff.
As of last August, about 80 catch basins had been repaired to that point in the year. That work has continued in 2026, with dozens of more catch basins seeing upgrades and sidewalk sections being replaced.
The work is being done as part of a more comprehensive effort to improve our local sidewalks. Sewer and highway bond money approved by residents is used to make the upgrades.
The DPW has also continued last year’s initiative to improve sidewalks that have been lifted by tree roots in a variety of ways, including grinding, removing sections, and creating asphalt ramps.
Recent fixes on stormwater and sanitary structures, provided to The Local Insider in response to a request for information from Mayor Donald Grebien’s office, include:
• Inlet and catch basin repairs at 274 Smithfield Ave. and Grosvenor Avenue, 294-296 Smithfield Ave. at Nathanael Avenue, 260 Smithfield Ave. at Terrace Avenue, and at 72-74 Morris Ave., all in April;
• Inlet and catch basin repairs at 123 Montgomery St. in July;
• Inlet and catch basin repairs on Main Street at Maple Street in April;
• Inlet and precast on Pawtucket Avenue at Sterry Street in April;
• Inlet and catch basin repair on Lakeview Avenue at Columbus Avenue in June;
• Road grate repair at 635 Broadway in April;
• Inlet and catch basin repair on York Avenue at Princeton Avenue in April;
• Inlet, catch basin, and frame/cover repair on Keough Street in June;
• Inlet and catch basin repair on Morris Avenue at Columbia Avenue in April;
• Inlet, catch basin, and frame/cover repairs across from 35 Notre Dame Ave. in April;
• And Esten Avenue at Vale Street in May.
Repairs involve replacing the inlet stone, putting new asphalt in front of the drain, and adding new concrete sidewalk panels if needed.
To avoid tripping hazards, metal plates are often used as a temporary measure for pedestrians to walk over.
Last year, the city completed extensive sidewalk panel replacements in the area of Payne Park.
