The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will begin demolishing the deck of the Washington Bridge starting this weekend, with major impacts expected for drivers in the area.
The demolition began Sunday night at 9 p.m. and required the closure of Gano Street where it passes under I-195. Gano Street will be closed from Sunday through Thursday nights, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., over the next two to three weeks. During this time, workers will be removing the bridge’s overhead parapets and concrete deck.
For drivers, a detour will be in place that routes traffic along India Street, Wickenden Street, and South Main and South Water streets. The on-ramp to I-195 West at Gano Street will remain open throughout the project.
RIDOT also plans to close Gano Street for a full weekend later this fall to remove the bridge beams, though a date has not yet been announced.
Demolition will also begin next week on the East Providence side of the bridge, though no immediate traffic impacts are expected. However, Waterfront Drive will face a one-week closure later this month.
RIDOT anticipates that the old Washington Bridge will be mostly demolished by January 2025. During this time, the bypass lanes on I-195 West, closest to the old bridge, will remain open, but drivers should still expect delays due to the ongoing work.
Additional lane closures on I-195 are scheduled for Monday through Wednesday nights next week to allow for electrical work on a new monitoring system for the eastbound bridge.
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