The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is planning to reopen two bridges in South County next week that have been closed for a year for reconstruction. Although the project is not scheduled for completion until Spring 2011, the reopening of the bridges will restore traffic patterns on Route 1 on the Narragansett/South Kingstown line.
Motorists will encounter lane closures on Route 1 on Sunday night, November 21, 2010 as RIDOT works to open a new bridge carrying traffic over Route 108 at the Narragansett exit. Since Fall 2009, all Route 1 traffic shared a single bridge during phased demolition and construction of first the northbound bridge, then the southbound bridge. All travel lanes are scheduled to be open early Monday morning.
RIDOT also plans to reopen a bridge carrying traffic to Route 1 North from the corner of Route 108 (Point Judith Road), Woodruff Avenue and South Pier Road. The reopening of this bridge will eliminate a detour that required drivers to use another on-ramp at the nearby Dillon Rotary.
Motorists can expect periodic lane closures as this phase of the project wraps up, including overnight paving of Route 108 at the Route 1 overpass scheduled for Monday and Tuesday nights. All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change.
The $6.6 million project was funded entirely by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In total, RIDOT rehabilitated three structurally deficient bridges, each more than 45 years old, and made numerous improvements to the Dillon Rotary and Route 108.
Contact: Charles St. Martin 401-222-1362 x4007