The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today announced the next phase of a multi-bridge project in East Providence with the reopening of the Potter Street Bridge on Tuesday, May 29. The bridge was closed in mid-March for concrete repairs, bridge joint work and resurfacing.
The project involves work on three bridges over I-195 that are close to one another, each serving local traffic in the neighborhoods north and south of the highway corridor. RIDOT's project will address all three bridges, but always keep two out of the three bridges open at all times to minimize disruption for traffic using either of the other two bridges as a detour.
When the Potter Street Bridge reopens, RIDOT will close the nearby Purchase Street Bridge. The bridge will remain closed for three to four months. When it reopens, RIDOT will close the third in this series of bridges, the Lyon Avenue Bridge, for another three- to four-month period.
Work on these bridges is part of the $20.7 million I-195 Corridor Bridges project, which also includes the replacement of the Parkway Ramp Bridge. That bridge carries traffic from Veterans Memorial Parkway and Warren Avenue, and closed in April. The bridge will be completed in late fall, however work on the nearby Washington Bridge will extend its reopening until the end of 2019.
The project also includes replacement of the superstructure of the Blackstone Street Bridge, which closed in late March. RIDOT closed Blackstone Street between Eddy Street and Allens Avenue, and shifted travel lanes to the right on I-95 in this area between Exit 18 (Thurbers Avenue) and Exit 20 (Point Street) on I-95 North and between Exit 19 (Eddy Street) and Exit 18 on I-95 South.
The traffic pattern on I-95 at the Blackstone Street Bridge will change again in mid-summer with a divided highway configuration. RIDOT will announce that change well in advance and install additional signage on the highway to direct drivers and discourage lane changes at the split.
All five bridges are rated as structurally deficient. All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. The I-195 Corridor Bridges Project was 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