Two types of pipes commonly found in Providence.
Top: Peter; Bottom: Ted Johnson
(Because the rest of Providence is off at law school or some crap.)
By Agenda Staff
I live in downtown Providence and have seen 5 or 6 of these pipes coming out of the sidewalk (photo attached). Do you know what they are? Since there's no subway here, it doesn't seem like an exhaust pipe, and the design is unusual … any ideas?
—Peter (doubleagentrecords.com)
The Agenda's crack(ed) research team sprang into action on this and found Michael Newman, Chief of the Plumbing Division at the Department of Inspection and Standards who was willing to explain the pipes' function.
While it's true that there is no subway here, there are definitely networks of basements, sub-basements and interconnected tunnels in the Lovecraftian depths of Providence.
These “vent pipes” are for active venting of underground utility tunnels, especially gas and common utility ducts (those that carry multiple utility channels).
A combination of factors and events cause or allow various kinds of vapors to collect and build up in these enclosed spaces, including gas line seepage, moisture condensation, catalytic gas emission from electrical conduits (caused by field effects on insulation materials), and off-gassing from containment and insulation materials. Besides the obvious risk of fire, utility workers are at risk from breathing these gases.
