The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced today that it has awarded contracts for two resurfacing projects that will greatly enhance sections of Route 4 and Route 1 in North Kingstown and South Kingstown, respectively. A popular path for summer travelers and commuters, the Department is investing more than $5 million to better serve the residents and promote Rhode Island's tourism industry.
* The Route 4 project includes a $2.8 million contract awarded to J.H. Lynch & Sons and a five percent budget contingency of $140,000. The project is currently underway and scheduled to reach substantial completion by the end of 2015. The contractor anticipates 84 workers to be employed throughout the job. As part of this work, approximately 2.5 miles of Route 4, from Route 1 in North Kingstown to just north of the Oak Hill Road intersection, will be resurfaced. This stretch of road carries approximately 54,000 vehicles per day and was last resurfaced in 1998.
* The Route 1 project includes a $1.9 million contract awarded to D'Ambra Construction and a five percent budget contingency of $95,000. Preliminary work is beginning this week and the project will reach substantial completion in summer of 2016. The contractor anticipates 50 workers to be employed throughout the job. Under this contract, a 1-mile section of Route 1 in South Kingstown from the Stedman Government Center to Route 108, as well as the associated on- and off-ramps to Old Tower Hill Road, will be resurfaced. This section of Route 1 was last resurfaced in the early 1990s and carries approximately 40,000 vehicles per day.
"The condition of our roadways is an important part of our state's economic health," Director Peter Alviti Jr. said. "This administration has placed a high priority on developing a system that will help bring our roads and bridges into a state of good repair and providing the maintenance that is necessary to keep them that way. Projects like this can go a long way toward turning around Rhode Island's reputation as a sub-par transportation state."
Care was taken in scheduling to assure that the work will not interfere with the remainder of the busy summer travel season. For instance, at least two lanes in each direction must remain open on Route 4 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week through September, with all lanes open from Friday night to Sunday night. On Route 1, all lanes will be open during peak travel times, though there might be some work in the shoulder and temporary lane closures on the exits during certain operations. At least one lane will remain open in each direction at all times.
Visit www.dot.ri.gov or follow RIDOTnews on Facebook or Twitter for timely information on each of these projects as schedules become available. To sign up for weekly updates on RIDOT projects around the state, contact dot.customerservice@dot.ri.gov.