Residents and legislators press DOT for data after split traffic commission vote on Admiral Kalfas Road

Newport officials and state legislators pressed for further review after a split vote at the State Traffic Commission over restricting heavy trucks on Admiral Kalfas Road.

Councilors said the DOT’s comparative analysis treated Admiral Kalfas and Coddington Highway as equivalent, but residents and local leaders described fundamental differences: Admiral Kalfas is a residential street with dozens of driveways and an elementary-school crossing; Coddington has fewer residential driveways and a different pattern of use. The city said heavy class 7 and larger trucks often cannot safely navigate Admiral Kalfas and have struck signage and utility poles there.

Senator Lou DiPalma (invited to clarify his earlier comment) said his letter to the commission asked DOT to provide the comparative facts, data and context used to reach its conclusion. He promised to send the council his two-sentence letter and said he would press for reconsideration given the way his statement was presented in the traffic commission materials.

Suggested mitigation steps included restricting class 8-and-above detachable-cab vehicles, moving back a white lane marking to improve turning space and requiring DOT to produce the underlying data that informed its equivalency assessment. The delegation also said it would leverage municipal and League of Cities input and follow up with RIDOT on landscaping plans for the bridge approach.

The council committed to continuing testimony and community engagement to press for safety-focused outcomes.