NEWPORT — With the International Tennis Hall of Fame preparing to induct Roger Federer this summer, Newport officials began a citywide tribute involving the transformation of several major streets into “Swiss cheese.”
According to Harold McIntyre, Head of Public Works, the plan is both symbolic and “logistically ambitious.”
“Normally Newport’s roads have plenty of holes on their own, but the city just spent a lot of money repaving,” McIntyre said. “So we’ll be going through and cutting fresh holes in the asphalt using industrial road saws. Don’t worry — to reduce the impact on traffic, all work will be performed only between midnight and 6:00 a.m. on weeknights.”
Once carved, the holes will be surrounded by a cheese-inspired asphalt glaze.
“The paint needs a couple of weeks to cure, so the roads will be fully shut down for that period,” McIntyre added. “We know that sounds inconvenient, but when Roger rides into Newport on these streets, I’m sure he’ll be delighted…and hopefully not drinking anything hot.”
