The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today the announced that paving associated with a project to resurface nearly six miles of Route 146 in Providence, North Providence and Lincoln is starting this month. As part of this project, RIDOT will correct a long-standing deficiency with the Douglas Avenue on-ramp, a popular highway access point for the State Offices and Smith Hill areas to reach Route 146 South and I-95 South.
The first task of this $7.9 million project is to correct the depressed pavement near the end of the Douglas Avenue ramp, which requires motorists to reduce speed and creates a safety hazard. The ramp will be closed for this work, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 9, reopening by 5 a.m. on Monday, July 10, in time for the morning commute.
During the closure, the following detours will be in place for traffic on Douglas Avenue approaching the ramp, seeking access to Route 146 South and I-95 South:
Douglas Avenue Westbound:
- Turn right onto Whipple Street (first right after the ramp)
- Turn right onto Admiral Street
- Turn left onto West River Street
- Turn left at intersection with Corliss Street to stay on West River Street
- Turn right onto Branch Avenue
- Use on-ramp for I-95 South
Douglas Avenue Eastbound:
- Follow Douglas Avenue past the ramp to the intersection of Orms Street
- Turn left onto Orms Street
- Turn left onto Charles Street
- Turn left onto Corliss Street
- Turn right onto West River Street
- Turn right onto Branch Avenue
- Use on-ramp for I-95 South
A map highlighting these detours is available at www.ridot.net/detourmaps.
Work on repaving the highway itself, from the I-95 interchange in Providence to just north of Breakneck Hill Road in Lincoln, has already started with work in the median and on drainage systems. On the night of July 16, RIDOT will begin milling pavement and resurfacing sections of the highway, starting with the northbound direction. Milling work on the southbound lanes will follow, and is currently scheduled to begin in early August. The adjacent on- and off-ramps will be milled and paved as the main highway segments are worked on.
Motorists should expect rough driving surfaces and overnight lane closures this summer and into the fall. Travel delays are likely. The project is expected to be fully completed by spring 2018. Route 146 is divided highway connecting Providence to the Massachusetts border, in North Smithfield, extending north toward Worcester, Mass. It carries between 70,000 and 40,000 vehicles per day. The section of the highway this project addresses is busiest section of the whole highway.
Two future contracts will pave additional sections, from I-295 to Route 146A in 2022 and from Route 146 to the Massachusetts state line in 2023. The resurfacing of Route 146 is made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT's ongoing commitment to repair structurally deficient bridges and bring Rhode Island's transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair, promote economic development, and create jobs. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.
All dates are weather-dependent and subject to change. To sign up for weekly updates on this or other RIDOT projects around the state, contact help@ridot.net. Visit www.dot.ri.gov or follow RIDOTnews on Facebook or Twitter for timely information on construction projects and traffic conditions