New lane shifts for I-95 northbound in southern Rhode Island begin on Sunday night, August 16 as part of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation's (RIDOT) $21.3 million Kingston Road Bridge replacement at Exit 3 in Richmond.
I-95 northbound traffic will move over the median to use a portion of the southbound bridge. I-95 southbound already is shifted to the right on the southbound bridge. All lanes and ramps will remain open. Lanes will be reduced to 11 feet so drivers should reduce their speed through the work zone. This traffic pattern will be in place until the end of 2020.
By moving all traffic onto the southbound bridge, RIDOT will be able to demolish and replace the northbound bridge. In 2021, RIDOT will flip the traffic pattern and demolish and replace the southbound bridge.
The 68-year-old Kingston Road Bridge carries 51,300 vehicles per day and is only one rating point from being structurally deficient.
The project also reconfigures the ramps so traffic can go east or west on Route 138 from a single exit instead of two. This removes the sharply curved highway off-ramps as well as the tight weave with ramps spaced too closely together. New traffic signals were activated this spring where the ramps meet Route 138 to safely accommodate all turns to and from I-95.
The bridge replacement also addresses safety concerns. From 2015-2019, there were 148 crashes at the interchange including one fatality and 28 involving injuries. The alignment and geometry of the new ramps will reduce the number of crashes and make the interchange safer.
The entire project is scheduled for completion in spring 2022.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
The replacement of the Kingston Road Bridge is made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT's ongoing commitment to repair structurally deficient bridges and bring Rhode Island's transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair, promote economic development, and create jobs. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.