The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will reintroduce a lane split on I-95 North near Exit 30 in Pawtucket on Tuesday, October 13. The following week starting as early as 7 a.m. on Friday, October 23, RIDOT will reduce travel lanes from three to two throughout the weekend, reopening by 6 a.m. Monday, October 26. Both changes are part of an ongoing $25 million project to replace four bridges that carry both directions of I-95 over Roosevelt Avenue and East Street. Temporary lane splits have been used successfully on this project over the spring and summer months.
The lane split will have two lanes to the left and one lane to the right of the split. RIDOT recommends that motorists reduce their speed through the work zone but not stop or suddenly change lanes – all lanes go through. The lane split will be in place through mid-November.
For the weekend of October 23, RIDOT will demolish and replace another portion of the East Street Bridge. With the reduction of a travel lane throughout the weekend, travelers should expect delays and use Route 146 and I-295 as alternates.
RIDOT also will close Exit 30 on I-95 North as part of this weekend operation. The off-ramp will be closed from 10 a.m. on October 23 to 3 p.m. on October 26. Motorists should follow a detour using Exit 29 to Broadway to reach East Street. For those that missed the exit, RIDOT recommends they take Exit 2B in Massachusetts to Route 1 North, then get on I-95 South and take Exit 29. Exit 30 southbound remains closed until mid-November, as well as the Fountain Street on ramp to I-95 North.
All traffic on East Street under the bridge will be detoured. Motorists on East Street westbound should follow a detour using Broadway southbound, Central Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue to return to East Street. Drivers heading east on East Street can turn right onto Middle Street, left onto Central Avenue and left onto Broadway to return to East Street. A detour map is available at www.ridot.net/DetourMaps.
The Roosevelt Avenue and East Street bridges are functionally obsolete and carry approximately 90,000 vehicles per day. The entire project is scheduled to be finished in spring 2021.
