Through its ongoing bridge preservation program, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is making repairs to the Park Avenue highway bridge over I-95 in Cranston. The improvements, designed to increase the longevity of the bridge, will focus on painting, joint replacement and concrete repairs.
As part of the project, RIDOT will establish a temporary detour for westbound traffic beginning tonight. The restriction will be in place Sunday-Thursday nights only from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day. During all other times, there will be no traffic restrictions on the bridge. Overnight lane closures on I-95 under the bridge are possible. RIDOT chose the overnight work schedule to minimize travel delay as much as possible.
Motorists are encouraged to follow the signed detour using Wellington Avenue. Once the repairs are completed on the westbound side, the eastbound side will be temporarily closed Sunday-Thursday nights for repairs. The anticipated completion for this project is mid-summer 2016.
The Park Avenue highway bridge, which carries approximately 15,000 vehicles per day on Route 12 (Park Avenue) over I-95, was built in 1965. The work is part of an $18 million project with a budget contingency of $1.5 million, and has been ongoing since Spring 2015, involving work on 26 bridges statewide. The cost for improvements at the Park Avenue highway bridge is approximately $800,000.
Visit www.dot.ri.gov or follow RIDOTnews on Facebook or Twitter for timely information on construction projects and traffic conditions.
Contact: Charles St. Martin (401) 222-1362, Ext. 4007