RHODE ISLAND, July 18 - As part of the ongoing Washington Bridge project, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will temporarily close the I-195 West on-ramps from Veterans Memorial Parkway and Warren Avenue in East Providence for an extended weekend, from 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 28 through 6 a.m. on Monday, August 1.

During the closure RIDOT will construct a new alignment for the ramps, shifting them slightly to the left, or south, of their current position. This change will free up land RIDOT will use to begin construction of a new off-ramp to Waterfront Drive, one of the many benefits of the Washington Bridge project.

Traffic will follow the same detour RIDOT used in 2018 when it reconstructed the Parkway ramp, using the Broadway or Pawtucket Avenue on-ramps to I-195 West. RIDOT did not observe significant congestion along the detour routes during the prior closure, but motorists should plan for extra travel time.

The Department will post electronic message boards at the intersections of Veterans Memorial Parkway with Pawtucket Avenue and South Broadway well south of the closed ramps so traffic can easily divert.

Those heading to destinations on the East Side of Providence may wish to follow Waterfront Drive to its new intersection with Massasoit Avenue and a direct connection to the Henderson Bridge. In approximately two years, RIDOT will open the new exit to Waterfront Drive for much easier access to the East Providence waterfront and the East Side of Providence.

The $78 million Washington Bridge project will address the structural deficiencies of the westbound portion of the bridge, which carries more than 96,000 vehicles per day. The project includes other improvements to improve safety and addresses chronic congestion issues on the Interstate. Daily rush hour backups often extend as far as the Massachusetts state line today. Final completion of the project is expected in 2026.

All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.

The Washington Bridge Project is made possible by RhodeWorks and the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Improvement Act. 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.