The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is reminding motorists of roadwork scheduled for this weekend which is associated with the final phase of its project to rehabilitate the structurally deficient Blackstone Street Bridge. The bridge carries I-95 near the Rhode Island hospitals campus in Providence.
RIDOT will remove the divided highway traffic pattern that has been in place since early summer. In its place, all travel lanes will be shifted to the left. This will allow the Department to finish work on the deck of the bridge carrying the low speed lanes for each direction of I-95.
RIDOT intends to remove the lane splits and install the left lane shift on I-95 North effective Friday, September 14 into Saturday, September 15. The traffic pattern change for I-95 South is scheduled for Saturday, September 15 into Sunday, September 16. This will restore the traffic pattern similar to the lane shifts that were implemented successfully prior to the lane splits.
All exits and on-ramps will remain open. Lane closures are likely from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Saturday night. Additionally, RIDOT is scheduling lane closures tomorrow, Friday, September 14 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for paving newly constructed sections of the bridge.
All schedules are weather dependent and subject to change.
The bridge work is part of the $20.7 million I-195 Corridor Bridges project, which includes work on five structurally deficient bridges.
Blackstone Street itself, between Allens Avenue and Eddy Street, will remain closed until late fall.
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.