Good afternoon

We need to close I-195 in both directions near the Taunton Avenue exit in East Providence, next Friday night, November 6 to demolish the Potter Street Bridge. Lane closures begin at 9 p.m., followed by a full closure at 10 p.m. Lanes are expected to begin reopening at 10 a.m., with all lanes reopened by noon, on Saturday, November 7. Detailed information and detour maps can be found on our website at www.ridot.net/195Closure.

Diamond Hill Road and Douglas Pike Bridges over I-295, Cumberland/Smithfield 

Left lane closures are scheduled for waterproofing, paving the median areas on the bridge deck and minor landscaping on Route 114 (Diamond Hill Road) over I-295, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists can also expect left lane closures for wall work and drainage installation in the median area on Route 7 South (Douglas Pike) over I-295, Monday from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Left lane closures are also scheduled on Route 7 North over I-295, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bridge Group 18C_R – Frenchtown, East Greenwich/ North Kingstown 

On this project, final paving and striping are complete at the Frenchtown Road and South County Trail bridges, and paving is complete and sidewalks open at the Devil’s Foot Road Bridge. Next week, crews will be working on the bridge abutments at the South County Trail Bridge along Route 4, in the vicinity of Exit 5, Monday and Wednesday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I-95 15 Bridges, Providence/Cranston/Warwick

As we continue our bridge improvements along the I-95 corridor, expect alternating lane closures from Park Avenue to Thurbers Avenue, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and Tuesday night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Scheduled operations will include paving I-95 South, from the Pawtuxet River Bridge to Jefferson Boulevard, milling and paving within the project area along Route 10 North, and performing bridge work at the Broad Street, Jefferson Boulevard Northbound and Pawtuxet River bridges.

The I-95 ‘Missing Move’ and Quonset Ramps Construction, North Kingstown/East Greenwich 

I-95/Route 4 Area

Next Friday night, November 6, starting at 9 p.m., expect alternating lane closures to install a new traffic pattern. Effective Saturday morning, November 7 by 5 a.m., all lanes on I-95 North will shift into the right shoulder, immediately north of Exit 24B (Route 2 North). This will allow us to create a work zone in the left shoulder to perform roadside safety improvements.

Next week, alternating lane closures are scheduled for overhead sign structure installations on both directions of I-95, between Route 117 and Route 2, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday night from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., and Tuesday night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. We’ll also have the right shoulder closed for fiber optic cable work on Route 4 North, from Division Street to the I-95 North merge, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday night from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., and Tuesday night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. 

Post Road & West Main Street Curb & Sidewalk, North Kingstown

Overnight drainage work will require alternating one-way traffic on Route 1 (Post Road), from Oakdale Avenue to Huling Road, Sunday and Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and Wednesday night from midnight to 6 a.m. Expect alternating one-way traffic for drainage work on West Main Road, from Post Road to Brown Street, and shoulder closures for pavement improvements on Post Road, from Oakdale Avenue to Huling Road, Monday and Wednesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route 37 Improvements, Cranston/Warwick

Bridge Group 51C: I-295 to Pontiac Avenue and from Amtrak to Post Road

Multiple operations will continue next week at this ongoing improvement project. They include a detour on Route 2 North and a single lane closure on Route 2 South, under Route 37, for bridge demolition, Sunday-Thursday nights from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. Concrete work will involve a left lane closure on Route 37 West, under Glen Hills Drive, Thursday night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., and alternating lane closures for bridge abutment repairs on Glen Hills Drive over Route 37, Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon. We’re also expecting traffic signal mast arm installations, requiring single lane closures on Post Road North at Route 37, Monday night from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., and both a single lane and the closure of the ramp to Route 37 West, on Post Road South at Route 37, Wednesday night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., and the closure of the ramp from Post Road South to Route 37 West, Sunday and Monday nights from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Follow signed detours during all closures.

Warwick Corridor Project

Following recent milling operations at this project, paving and striping are scheduled along Route 113 (Main Avenue), from Greenwich Avenue to West Shore Road, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and Tuesday night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sidewalk and curbing improvements will involve right lane closures on Route 1 (Post Road), from Main Avenue to Coronado Road, and a lane shift on West Shore Road, from Long Street to Main Avenue, Monday and Wednesday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists can also expect a lane shift for minor landscaping behind the sidewalks on Main Avenue, from Greenwich Avenue to West Shore Road, Monday and Wednesday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Washington Bridge & I-195, East Providence/ Providence 

Next weekend, RIDOT will begin demolition work for the Potter Street Bridge, which carries local traffic in East Providence over I-195, near the Taunton Avenue exit. To complete the demolition as quickly and as safely as possible, we need to temporarily close I-195 in both directions. Much of the closure will be during the overnight hours when traffic volumes are low, but we expect traffic to be heaviest the morning after the closure.

The work will begin on Friday, November 6 with lane closures starting at 9 p.m. and the full highway closures beginning at 10 p.m. RIDOT expects to begin opening lanes by 10 a.m. and all lanes are scheduled to open by noontime.

We strongly recommend that people plan alternate routes and avoid traveling on I-195 during the closure times. Local traffic on I-195 can detour using Warren Avenue. Dedicated routes will be provided for emergency vehicle access. There also will be local road and ramp closures in East Providence during the closure. As with travel on the highway, RIDOT recommends residents make plans to defer travel as much as possible during the closure times.

This single closure event avoids the need for phased demolition and prolonged lane closures on the Interstate. The Potter Street Bridge will be rebuilt to accommodate a wider highway corridor with additional travel lanes on I-195 West. This traffic improvement was included in the Washington Bridge Rebuild Project to help alleviate longstanding congestion on I-195 West, which has historically caused traffic to back up toward the Massachusetts state line.

To help us prepare for the Potter Street Bridge demolition, we need to close lanes on I-195, Thursday and Friday, October 29 and 30. Expect up to two lanes closed on I-195 East, from Exit 1A (India Street) to Exit 2A (Broadway/Warren Avenue) and I-195 West, from Exit 2 (Broadway) to Exit 1C (Route 44 West/South Main Street), Thursday night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Motorists can also expect up to two lanes closed on Friday night from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. to remove the median barrier. Expect one lane to be closed at 9 p.m. and two at 10 p.m. on I-195 East, from Exit 1A (Gano Street/India Street) to Exit 2A (Broadway/Warren Avenue), and I-195 West, from Exit 2 (Broadway) to Exit 1D (Gano Street/India Street.)

Specific information about this closure and detour maps can be found at www.ridot.net/195Closure.

Elsewhere on the project, we are continuing our work on the new bridge’s foundation, with the installation of 32 drilled shafts, each driven down approximately 130 feet to bedrock, which will create a support system for the bridge’s piers and abutments. At present, ten drilled shafts have been installed and concrete placed inside them. We also recently began pouring concrete for other foundation components on top of the drilled shafts. Vibration and noise monitoring as well as erosion control are in place, and all work on the project occurs during daytime hours.

Next week, ongoing bridge preventative maintenance will require overnight intermittent closures of all lanes on I-195 East and West. At least one lane in each direction will always remain open from Potter Street to Warren Avenue, near the Massachusetts line, Sunday-Thursday nights, November 1-5, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The following week, Sunday, Monday, and Thursday nights, November 8, 9 and 12, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., this bridge preventative maintenance will also require the closures of up to two lanes on I-195 West, from Pawtucket Avenue to Broadway.

On Sunday-Tuesday nights, November 1-November 3, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., expect intermittent closures of all lanes on I-195 East and West at the Washington Bridge for preventative maintenance on the Weigh-In-Motion (WHM) and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems.

Bridge preservation work at the Providence River (Iway) Bridge will involve left or right lane closures on I-95 North, from Thurbers Avenue/Allens Avenue to the I-195 split, Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights, November 8, 9 and 12, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and Wednesday night, November 11, from midnight to 5 a.m.