The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today announced that it will be opening a new ramp on Friday, December 26, 2008 as part of the Route 403 Relocation Project in East Greenwich and North Kingstown. The ramp, Exit 7, will afford first-ever northbound access to Route 403 and the Quonset Business Park from Route 4.
Although the $130 million project was largely completed in late October, with the opening of the full highway from Route 4 South to Route 403 East, work continues on other ramps.
“The main intention in relocating this roadway was to bring direct highway access to the Quonset Business Park while alleviating heavy traffic on local roads,” RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. “Like the main highway ramp from Route 4 South, this new ramp on Route 4 North achieves a similar goal.”
Prior to opening this new ramp, there was no Exit 7 on Route 4 North. Motorists either had to use Route 1 at the Route 4/1 split or Exit 6 (Route 2/South County Trail) and then use local roads to reach the Quonset area. Northbound motorists can now use an all-highway route to the Business Park by following Route 4 to Exit 7.
RIDOT expects to fully complete the Route 403 project in mid 2009. The Department intends to open additional ramps in the near future. All schedules, including Friday’s ramp opening, are weather-dependent.