The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced today a new traffic pattern for Route 2 (South County Trail) in South County that features a center turning lane to improve safety and make it easier to make left turns into homes, businesses and side streets.
The new traffic pattern, from Route 102 in North Kingstown through Exeter and ending at Route 138 in South Kingstown, is expected to be implemented the week of May 19. It will be done during the evening and overnight hours with alternating lane closures.
RIDOT is making these changes because of a high crash rate along this 6.7-mile corridor. In a five-year period from 2012-2016, there were 273 crashes along this road with one fatality and 87 crashes resulting in injuries.
Given the wide profile of Route 2, the new traffic pattern will be accomplished by changing road striping, narrowing the travel lanes to accommodate the new center turning lane. The new traffic pattern will retain adequate shoulder width for bicycle travel and bus stops along the route.
The road is one of three locations in a $1.1 million statewide pavement and restriping project.
These traffic and safety improvements were 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.