Beginning this week, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is lowering the speed limit on Route 24 in Portsmouth from 50 miles per hour to 40 miles per hour. This speed reduction will be implemented on Route 24 North only, starting one mile north of Exit 2 (Boyds Lane) and extending to the Sakonnet River Bridge.
RIDOT is lowering the speed limit to improve safety where vehicles entering Route 24 North from the Hummocks Avenue on-ramp merge with highway traffic. The Department recently shifted the travel lanes to the right on Route 24 as part of the Sakonnet River Bridge Replacement Project, leaving less room for traffic to merge than existed in the original lane configuration.
Motorists heading onto Route 24 North from Hummocks Avenue must come to a full stop before merging with highway traffic. By reducing highway speeds, motorists will find it easier to merge onto the highway.
The speed limit reduction also allows RIDOT to keep the Hummocks Avenue on-ramp open during construction.
The 40 mph speed limit will remain in effect until the conclusion of the project in mid-2013.
Motorists with questions can contact RIDOT's Customer Service office at 401-222-2450 weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 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