Traffic calming and other safety improvements are continuing at the Elmwood Avenue corridor in the City of Providence. In addition to the recently announced High-Intensity Activated CrossWalK (HAWK) pedestrian signal that went live on Monday, June 27 at the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and Daboll Street, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is undertaking several other improvements to help increase pedestrian safety, reduce crashes and lower speeds.
RIDOT is currently replacing all of the traffic signals on Elmwood Avenue from Roger Williams Avenue to West Friendship Street/Westfield Street. As part of this project, the Department will restripe the roadway to reduce the number of travel lanes from four to three (two travel lanes and one, two-way left turning lane) from Ontario Street to Broad Street. This area has lower traffic volumes and a higher volume of pedestrians than the rest of Elmwood Avenue.
Since the area also has high bicycle traffic, these improvements will provide a wider travel lane to better accommodate bicyclist and vehicles. In addition, the re-striping will widen the parking lanes to provide more room for on-street parking.
“RIDOT is partnering with Providence and instituting traffic calming initiatives to improve access and lower speeds throughout the entire Elmwood Avenue corridor,” said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis.
The ongoing Elmwood Avenue improvements should be completed by the end of the Summer. RIDOT is also completing the design to resurface and replace all of the sidewalks on Elmwood Avenue. This project is expected to be under construction in Spring 2012.
Similar travel lane reduction with new striping from four to three lanes has been incorporated on East Main Road in Portsmouth, between Turnpike Avenue and Boyds Lane; and on Putnam Pike in Smithfield, between Austin Avenue and West Greenville Road. This new lane configuration will also be instituted on a trial basis on South County Trail/Quaker Lane in East Greenwich/North Kingstown between Route 4 and Ten Rod Road later this Summer.
Contact: Heidi Gudmundson (401) 222-1362 x. 4009