As part of its ongoing I-95 15 Bridges Project, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will make numerous temporary traffic pattern changes as part of the replacement of the bridge carrying Route 10 over Elmwood Avenue in Providence, as well as a new interchange to connect Elmwood Avenue with Route 10 and a new Boulevard to connect to Park Avenue.
The changes include the closure of the off-ramp from Route 10 North to Elmwood Avenue. The ramp will be closed for approximately one year while RIDOT builds the new interchange. The Department also will conduct a full-day closure of Elmwood Avenue southbound at the Route 10 overpass for bridge demolition. One lane northbound will also be closed but one lane northbound will remain open. This allows RIDOT to avoid overnight demolition, reducing the impact of this work on nearby residents.
The schedule and overview of the changes is as follows:
Friday, November 7: At 9 p.m., the off-ramp from Route 10 North to Elmwood Avenue will be closed. During the closure, traffic should use Park Avenue to access Elmwood Avenue. Any vehicles on Route 10 North that need to detour can take the off-ramp to I-95 South (Exit 1C). At the end of the ramp, drivers will take the next off-ramp (Exit 33A) to Route 10 South and use the off-ramp to Elwood Avenue (Exit 1A).
Friday, November 14: Beginning at 9 p.m., all lanes on Route 10 will be shifted onto a portion of the newly rebuilt structure, called the Elmwood South Bridge.
Saturday, November 15: From 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Elmwood Avenue southbound will be closed. Elmwood Avenue northbound will remain open but only to one lane of traffic. Southbound traffic can detour using the on-ramp to Route 10 North and then take the off-ramp to I-95 South (Exit 1C). At the end of the ramp, drivers will take the next off-ramp (Exit 33A) to Route 10 South and use the off-ramp to Elwood Avenue (Exit 1A).
Daytime lane closures will continue for Elmwood Avenue into the winter for additional demolition activities and prep work for the second phase of bridge construction. RIDOT expects to fully open the new Elmwood Avenue Bridge in summer 2027.
The I-95 15 Bridges project will remove 15 bridges from the state's backlog of poor and fair to poor condition bridges along I-95 and Route 10 between Providence and Warwick. Nine of the 15 bridges are structurally deficient. Three are rated among the top five most traveled structurally deficient bridges in Rhode Island. At the Huntington Viaduct, RIDOT will redesign the entire interchange of Route 10 with I-95. More details are available at www.ridot.net/The-I-95-15.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
The I-95 15 Bridges project is made possible by RhodeWorks. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island's infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.