The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is reminding motorists that this coming weekend starting as early as 7 a.m. on Friday, October 23, RIDOT will close a lane on I-95 North near Exit 30 in Pawtucket. The Department will reduce travel lanes from three to two until 6 a.m. Monday, October 26.
During the weekend lane closure, 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.
These 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 and weekend lane closures have been used successfully on this project over the spring and summer months.
Local 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.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
