Politics & Government

With Temporary DMV Site Secured, Search for Permanent Middletown Branch Continues

State Senator Lou DiPalma has shared more details about the temporary DMV site to open Monday, May 2, on West Main Road.

The search continues for a new permanent location for the (DMV) on Aquidneck Island, but until then the state will reopen a temporary branch office in Middletown on Monday, May 2.

The interim site is in the small shopping plaza at 999 West Main Road next door to the Lifepath Church. It has been secured with a six-month lease, according to State Sen. Lou DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton).

"The State Properties Committee met Tuesday and approved the lease for the temporary facility while they work to secure the permanent site," DiPalma said.

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All of the services offered at the former Valley Road DMV branch will be provided at the temporary West Main Road site, including the driver's test, he said.

State officials approved the temporary site lease, reportedly at $4,500 per month, after three rounds of requests for proposals since last summer turned up no viable candidates for a new DMV branch office on Aquidneck Island.

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The most recent bids were opened last week and provided one proposal that didn't meet all the specifications and another that came in after the deadline, DiPalma said.

DiPalma, along with Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) have been vocal in their outrage over the state's closing of the Aquidneck Island DMV in Middletown two months ago. The two had called upon the Governor's office and state administration to reopen a local temporary facility until a permanent location was found.

The shut-down has forced Aquidneck Island residents to travel to other DMV branches, including one in , where some DMV customers recently reported waits of up to five hours despite the service hours added there to help accomodate island motorists.

Other locals have adjusted by joining the which has an office in Middletown and provides some DMV license and registry services. AAA officials have reported seeing business double since the local DMV just around the corner had closed.

The Valley Road DMV branch office in Middletown closed on Feb. 11 after former DMV Administrator Sally Strachan announced that the state had been unable to negotiate a month-to-month extension with the landlord to stay at that facility following the completion of its lease.

Officials said the former DMV no longer needed such a large facility after the local Department of Labor and Training office, also previously housed there, had vacated the site.

Since last summer, DMV officials had attempted to secure a new location but three rounds of bids submitted since then all failed to yield a viable facility.

Officials have attributed the main obstacle to the parking requirement included in the request for proposals, which seeks 85 parking spaces. The temporary site reportedly only accomodates less than 70 sites but officials said the arrangement should work because the neighboring businesses do not keep the same primary business hours.

As the search for a permanent location continues, the state may begin exercising its right to reach out to various landlords directly, which the state recently authorized, DiPalma noted.


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