New lighting brightens Providence’s Memorial Boulevard tunnel

PROVIDENCE – If you’ve been downtown at night recently, you may have noticed colorful lights shining up onto Memorial Boulevard.

They’re from a new lighting system that the city has installed in the pedestrian tunnel that leads to Waterplace Park.

The lights serve a dual purpose, according to city officials. They brighten up a space that had previously drawn complaints about being dark and feeling unsafe.

And they’re also intended to be an artistic feature that will change colors periodically based around more than 60 cultural festivals and days and months of commemoration.

“By beautifying parks, prioritizing pedestrian safety and promoting cultural enrichment through community collaboration, we are uplifting neighborhoods and fostering a sense of pride in our city,” Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement.

How much did it cost?

The project to improve the tunnel was funded by $200,000 from the Providence capital budget, $125,000 from Rhode Island Commerce and in-kind contributions totaling $76,000 from the city’s Parks Department and the state Department of Corrections.

Besides the new lighting, it also included replacing the skylight in the tunnel and the removal of concrete bollards in order to open up the space.

PHOTOS BY KRIS CRAIG/THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL New lighting is unveiled at Waterplace Park tunnel on May 9. The lights serve a dual purpose, according to city officials. They brighten up a space that had previously drawn complaints about being dark and feeling unsafe.

Light shines from tunnel skylight in the center median of Memorial Boulevard.