Besides saving significant money, plans from #MiddletownRI to truck unneeded clean fill from the construction site of the new Middletown Middle High School to the Hoogendoorn Nurseries land have other long-term benefits.
SOIL SOLUTIONS
MIDDLETOWN, RI (JUNE 4, 2025) – There’s a detailed plan in place to manage unneeded soils from the site of the new Middletown Middle High School.
Town officials said in coming days, there will be increased activity at 1225 Aquidneck Ave., including heavy-duty covered dump trucks removing loads of clean top soil and dirt from the construction zone just north of Gaudet Middle School.
Most — if not all — the fill will be taken to the Hoogendoorn Nurseries property around the corner between Turner Road and Berkeley Avenue, where it will eventually be used to prepare a portion of the property for recreational use.
Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown said this soil solution helps save the town money, better manages stormwater along lower Berkeley Avenue and secures Rhode Island Department of Education financial reimbursements.
Importantly, Brown said there will be no additional costs to taxpayers from the work, which is factored into the overall price tag of the new school project.
He said keeping the soil in Middletown rather than trucking it off Aquidneck Island results in substantial savings to taxpayers.
“There are a lot of different pieces that are beginning to come together around all these projects,” Brown said. “We know there’s a need for more field space and taking the soil from the (new school) construction site to help create new fields makes perfect sense all the way around while replacing some of the spaces while also addressing stormwater. This is one way we’re working to do that.”
Brown said it was critical to note the soil being taken from the former Starlight Drive-In property where the school was being built was not contaminated.
Based on all testing, he said it’s been shown to be free from high levels of chemicals and other warning flags. However, he did note there were some areas where it wasn’t dense enough to be good for a base for the new school, a fact he’s briefed the Town Council and other local leaders on previously.
Instead of trucking the soil out of town or off Aquidneck Island, Brown said the Hoogendoorn concept emerged as a “win-win” solution for everyone.
There’s also far more soil on the construction site than necessary, about 54,000 cubic yards of material, Brown said.
“If we had to truck and dispose of these materials out of town, there’s an immense cost to that,” Brown said. “This way, we’re using the top soil and earth we have to create the fields we know we need while also constructing stormwater controls and other steps that will benefit that entire area.”
Before the soil is taken from the school construction zone, Brown said it will be tested again. If it’s found to be clean, it will be taken to the Hoogendoorn Nurseries property for storage. Should it have high levels of chemicals, it will be trucked to the Central Landfill in Johnston for safe disposal.
Under Phase 1 of the soil relocation work, there will be two piles of earth placed on the Hoogendoorn Nurseries site, one to the north of the property, one towards the south.
In the southern area, Brown said work will help address stormwater issues as well as reducing the height and moving existing soil piles further north and away from the residential properties there.
Town officials said all work and soil relocation will be done in accordance with Middletown’s soil erosion and sediment control ordinances. None of the soil piles will be taller than 20 feet.
In general, the trucking of soils will take place weekdays from 7 AM-3:30 PM.
They also said the project contractor and all related subcontractors will be diligent about dust mitigation and control to minimize impacts to surrounding neighbors.
Once all the soils have been moved, town officials said the piles will be stabilized by hydro seeding each area, allowing grass to grow.
Brown said there will be a public review process to determine the best use for the Hoogendoorn site before the town moves forward with plans there.
From the outset, town and educational leaders have said the entire new school project was being done in a way to minimize any impacts to normal school operations and the surrounding neighborhood.
Construction vehicles are supposed to use the old drive-in driveway that’s accessed in the area by Park Drive. In general, construction is expected to take place weekdays from 7 am-4 pm, with work on Saturdays on an as needed basis.
For more about the plans in place to accommodate construction, visit https://mdl.town/NYCU-Plan online.
Brown also wanted to remind everyone to attend a groundbreaking celebration for the new school on June 9 at 10 am from 259 Turner Road marking the ceremonial start of the project.
Work mobilization on the construction site began Monday. For more about the project, visit
“This is an exciting time in Middletown,” Brown said. “Personally, I know everyone is pulling in the same direction to help move our community forward and where it can be, whether it’s our new school, improvements with education, the new library, affordable housing and more. This work will help lay the foundation for Middletown up for generations to come.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Soil
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov