This project will replace the 1,295-foot long northbound section of the Providence Viaduct Bridge which carries I-95 over numerous local roads and highway ramps, Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and the Woonasquatucket River. This section of I-95 carries more than 220,000 vehicles per day. It is the busiest section of I-95 in Rhode Island and one of the most heavily trafficked highway bridges on the East Coast.
Construction of the Viaduct Northbound is thanks in large part to the efforts of Rhode Island's Congressional delegation, which secured a $60.3 million federal INFRA grant for the project. Our project includes the construction of a new collector-distributor (C-D) road along the right side of the Interstate. This eliminates the weaving conflicts and congestion that plague the segment of I-95 Northbound from the 6/10 Connector and Downtown on-ramps to the Route 146/State Offices interchange.
We also will reconfigure ramps to disentangle conflicting movements, improving motorist safety and comfort, and reducing congestion and delay. The new ramp system will provide more efficient connections among I-95, the 6/10 Connector, and Route 146. This new configuration will vastly improve the crippling congestion caused by traffic trying to access I-95 northbound from the 6/10 Connector and by traffic trying to exit I-95 to access Route 146 or the state offices.
An earlier design for Providence Viaduct Northbound called for reusing the bridge during construction but the winning proposal by Skanska/Manafort presented a solution that saved a year of time and approximately $1 million.
We are not only replacing the Viaduct, but will rebuild 11 bridges in total, many of which are of critical safety concern and will correct the inefficiencies, congestion and safety issues that exist today. Among them:
Construction began in spring 2021 and is planned to provide benefits to motorists in the near term, well ahead of the final project completion date of summer 2025. The initial phase involves demolition of the old bridge segment which originally carried I-95 South traffic. Construction of the new bridge to carry I-95 North should begin later this year and we expect to shift traffic onto it in the fall of 2022.
Another major milestone will be the opening of the new C/D road to handle on and off ramp traffic for State Offices, the 6/10 Connector and Route 146. That will happen in late 2023.
| Start demolition of the old Viaduct southbound, which is located between northbound and southbound traffic in early April. |
| Perform bridge preservation work on the Atwells Avenue, Park Street, Ashburton Street and Charles Street bridges beginning in stages from late March through the summer. |
| Construct a new bridge for Route 146 North over I-95 starting in April. |
| Begin replacement of the Smith Street Bridge which will include a lane shift and reduction in travel lanes from two to one in each direction, starting in June. |
| Start retaining wall construction and drainage installation on I-95 North between Exits 21 and 22. |
 |
Demolition of the old I-95 South Viaduct will require overnight closures of exits and ramps within the I-95 Exit 22 Interchange and portions of West Exchange Street next week. Portions of Park Street will also be closed for daytime electrical work, and Charles and Ashburton streets for daytime bridge painting. Motorists can also anticipate overnight alternating lane closures on I-95 for bridge demolition at the I-95 South Viaduct and median work between Smith Street and Route 146. See our Weekly Traffic Forecast for specifics and please follow signed detours during all closures. |
| Click here for the latest lane closure information |