During the daytime hours on Monday, December 28, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will begin lane closures as part of its $84.4 million Henderson Bridge Replacement Project in East Providence and Providence. The closures are a necessary step prior to a traffic shift on the bridge itself expected in mid-January.
The following changes for the Henderson Expressway (which includes the Henderson Bridge and the access roads and ramp system on both sides of the bridge) are expected:
- • The Henderson Expressway eastbound toward East Providence will be reduced from two lanes to one lane from the access road from Waterman Avenue in Providence to Massasoit Avenue in East Providence.
- • The Henderson Expressway westbound toward Providence just prior to South Angell Street in Providence will be reduced from two lanes to one lane.
- • Massasoit Avenue in East Providence in both directions will be reduced from two lanes to one lane at the Henderson Bridge interchange, between Wilmarth Avenue and Dexter Road.
The lane closures allow RIDOT to build connector roads and make other changes in advance of a traffic shift on the bridge in mid-January. At that point, the Department will maintain one lane in each direction on the southern side of the bridge, allowing it to demolish and rebuild the northern section. This change will be in place for approximately two years.
The changes on December 28 and later in January may cause travel delays. However, RIDOT has conducted several similar lane closures both as part of this project and earlier repair work on the bridge and observed little to no delay for travelers on the bridge.
The replacement of the Henderson Bridge is supported largely by an additional $54.5 million in federal funding for Rhode Island as part of a spending law authored by U.S. Senator Jack Reed to assist states with the highest percentage of bridge deck area in poor condition.
Built in 1969, the Henderson Bridge is a 26-span, 2,000-foot bridge which carries vehicles over the Seekonk River from East Providence to Providence. By replacing this bridge, RIDOT will reduce its statewide structurally deficient bridge area by 12 percent. It has been rated as structurally deficient since 1996 when RIDOT first started keeping such records, and the Department has spent $4 million over the last ten years on repairs to keep it safe.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
The replacement of the Henderson Bridge 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.