The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will be working to improve pedestrian safety and mobility at the heavily traveled intersection of Francis Street and Memorial Boulevard in the City of Providence, with preliminary construction activities, such as the installation of temporary construction signs and saw cutting of pavement for new curb installation, underway.
Through a $2.7 million project, with a budget contingency of $200,000, the work is centered on Francis Street, from Exchange Terrace to just past Memorial Boulevard. RIDOT will be resurfacing the roadways, installing new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant sidewalks, signing, and striping, putting in new traffic signals at the intersection of Francis Street and Memorial Boulevard, and also installing separate pedestrian signals at the Memorial Boulevard crossings, with new industry-standard audible systems, more conducive to pedestrian crossings. The project also includes ornamental lighting and landscaping to discourage pedestrians from crossing in front of adjacent highway on- and off-ramps.
Once full construction is underway, in approximately two weeks, pedestrians and motorists should experience mostly night work, with full closures possible on Francis Street between Memorial Boulevard and West Exchange Street, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day, with detours. There will also be lane closures throughout the area at various times throughout the night that will be used on an as-needed basis for resurfacing activities. The project is scheduled to be substantially completed and functional by November 2016, with final landscaping and cleanup by Spring 2017.
Visit www.dot.ri.gov or follow RIDOTnews on Facebook or Twitter for timely information on construction projects and traffic conditions.
Contact: Heidi Gudmundson (401) 222-1362, Ext. 4009