Connecting Route 95 north to Route 4 South and Route 4 North to Route 95 South has been a long-term goal for RIDOT and the people of Rhode Island. Ever since Route 4, a 5.4 mile freeway linking Route 102 to the I-95 merge, was built in 1965, travelers have been clamoring for what is known as “the missing move.” Route 4 carries 63,000 daily. That time has come.
Starting this year, RIDOT, with help from an $81 million Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG), will break ground on this $144 million project. Spanning three towns in central Rhode Island, this project has two components – one creates the missing move and the second serves the burgeoning economic growth center of Quonset Point.
Component 1 will create two critical roadways. The first is a new bridge overpass to link Route 4 north to I-95 south. The second will use an existing right-of-way for an at-grade link between I-95 north and Route 4 south.
The second component builds three ramps on Route 403 in North Kingstown to connect the Quonset Business Park (QBP) to its west Davisville district via a limited-access highway. The new ramps will give heavy trucks and other freight traffic freeway access without using local roads. Part two will also construct a roundabout south of Route 403 at Compass Circle. All of these elements will help traffic move in and around QBP.