The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is continuing with its demolition of the old I-195 highway in Providence and next will be working in the area of South Water Street on the east side of the Providence River. Demolition activity over the next two weekends will mean partial road closures to allow for safe demolition of the old highway structures.
Beginning Saturday, June 18, 2011 at approximately 6 a.m., RIDOT will close one of two parallel service roads at the end of South Water Street that connect to Wickenden Street. Police officers will be positioned at key intersections to help motorists through the work zone.
Motorists may encounter delays, but will not have lengthy detours. At all times, RIDOT will keep one of the two service roads open to traffic while it is working on the other. All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. Both roads will reopen by 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Concurrent with this work, RIDOT is demolishing a portion of the old highway over Chestnut Street. That closure, between Clifford Street and Friendship Street, will be in effect until Wednesday, June 29. Additionally, RIDOT is dismantling the old Providence River Bridge, but that activity does not require any road closures.
Under a $6.8 million Iway demolition contract, RIDOT will demolish more than 3,500 feet of old I-195 and seven bridges. The Department anticipates the entire highway demolition project to conclude in late summer.
Former Iway contracts demolished an additional 1,500 feet of old highway. Old I-195 was built in the late 1950s and was officially closed in October 2009.
Those with questions can contact RIDOT’s Customer Service office at 401-222-2450 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional information will be available on RIDOT’s website (www.dot.ri.gov) and its social media sites on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and Blogger.
Contact: Charles St. Martin 401-222-1362 x4007