Starting Friday night, July 30 at 9:00 p.m., RIDOT will close Arcadia Road near the Exeter/Richmond line at Browning Mill Pond to replace the Browning Mill Bridge and a nearby culvert. The road will remain closed until late October.
Built in 1913, Browning Mill Bridge carries 500 vehicles per day and is structurally deficient. A nearby culvert deemed unnecessary will be removed as part of this $2 million project. Browning Mill Pond is a popular recreation spot in the Arcadia Management Area used for fishing, hiking and mountain biking.
RIDOT will establish a signed detour using Skunk Hill Road, Route 3 (Nooseneck Hill Road) and Route 165 (Ten Rod Road). Users of facilities at Browning Mill Pond should consult the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management outdoor recreation map at www.dem.ri.gov/maps to determine which side of the closure their trail or fishing access is on. A map showing the suggested detour is available at www.ridot.net/DetourMaps.
Those who want to reach the nearby Tomaquag Museum can access it coming from the south using Skunk Hill Road to Arcadia Road from Route 3. From the north, follow the signage using Summit Road from Route 165.
While RIDOT expects to reopen the bridge in late October, final completion is not expected until the end of the year.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
The replacement of the Browning Mill 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.