Numerous projects ramping up and coming to fruition.
RIDOT and CIRI members making substantial progress statewide.
I-95 15 Bridges Project: Route 10 overpass over Elmwood Avenue in Cranston.
During the third and fourth quarters of FFY 2025, covering April through September of this year, RIDOT advanced numerous projects throughout the state. A particular concentration for the work involved the areas along the I-95 and Route 4 corridors from Providence to South County. A few of the agency’s accomplishments, highlighted in its Q4 report released on October 30, include:
I-95 15 Bridges Project. In the Providence metropolitan area, the I-95 15 Bridges Project has multiple work zones in process spanning from the Eddy Street overpass in Providence to the Jefferson Boulevard exit in Warwick. Each will allow for phased reconstruction of specific bridges. RIDOT’s largest project ever, the I-95 15 is removing 15 bridges from the state’s backlog of poor-condition bridges along I-95 and Route 10 between Providence and Warwick.
Deck closure on the Warwick Corridor Project.
Warwick Corridor Project. Similar accelerated bridge construction methods were also used to replace two 60-year-old bridges carrying East Avenue (Route 113) over I-95 and I-295. The block-style foundations being utilized — less costly than traditional footings but as durable and effective — are built next to the old ones while other operations are underway. New footings closer to the travel lanes also enable RIDOT to reduce the overall length of the bridge spans. The project is on track for completion by the end of 2025.
Tower Hill Road bridge and paving. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in September for the Tower Hill Road Bridge that carries Route 1 over Route 138 in North Kingstown. The $35.8 million project finished nine months ahead of schedule. To minimize the impact to more than 52,000 daily travelers, RIDOT built new bridge decks adjacent to the old bridge — enabling rapid installation over two extended weekends. The accelerated methods avoided up to two years of lane closures associated with conventional construction. The project also included the paving of more than six miles of highway, providing a safer and smoother path to Newport and state’s major beaches.
Frenchtown Road overpass on Route 1 in North Kingstown.
Missing Move Project. Early-phase work is underway for this $144 million project spanning North Kingstown, East Greenwich and Warwick. RIDOT is currently replacing two large bridges over Route 4 — the Frenchtown Road Bridge and the South County Trail Bridge — to support new streamlined ramp connections and traffic patterns between Route 4 and I-95.
Route 7/Douglas Pike Corridor. One of numerous resurfacing efforts statewide, RIDOT completed a major $19.9 million paving project effort covering the entire 15.7 miles of Route 7 (Douglas Pike). The project began last year in Burrillville and finished at the Providence line.
Additional improvements to new Sayles Hill flyover road on Route 146 in North Smithfield.
Routes 37 & I-295 Interchange. RIDOT opened a new bridge and interchange on I-295 North at Route 37 in Cranston. Part of the culmination of the Route 37 improvements in the Cranston Canyon, this new design includes a service road and the relocation of an unconventional on-ramp from the left side of the highway to the right side, which is safer and will reduce congestion.
Additional bridgework. During the quarter, RIDOT finished work at the Breakneck Hill Road Bridge in Lincoln and the Mendon Road Bridge in Cumberland. Numerous other bridges were under reconstruction in Barrington, Burrillville, Foster, Coventry, Cranston, Cumberland, Smithfield, Tiverton and Warren.
For the most up-to-date information on RIDOT programs and projects, visit: www.dot.ri.gov/RhodeWorks/
