Interstate I-195 in East Providence will be completely closed to traffic in both directions from Friday evening into Saturday.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is advising drivers to steer clear of the highway near the Taunton Avenue exit this Friday night (Nov. 6) into Saturday morning (Nov. 7) for the demolition of East Providence’s Potter Street Bridge, part of the Washington Bridge rebuild project.
Beginning at 8 p.m. on Friday, RIDOT will close I-195 in both directions. By 10 p.m., these roadways will be fully closed and will remain that way for the next 12 hours, with some lanes reopening by 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. RIDOT plans to reopen all lanes by Saturday at noon. RIDOT interim director Robert Rocchio said he is confident that the lanes will open on time, if not early.
RIDOT suggests motorists plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel in the area during the overnight closure. For those who need to travel along I-195 during these hours, RIDOT has provided multiple detours for various routes, including a dedicated route for emergency vehicles.
“Businesses in that area will be impacted, but the hope is that people will still be able to use the side streets. And then police personnel have been instructed that if they're using the side streets, as long as they don't impede the flow of traffic on Warren Avenue, because Warren Avenue will be in effect I-195. So we don't want cars cutting across traffic. That's the main thing,” said East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva.
Rocchio confirmed that they have coordinated with RIPTA and that services will run and follow predetermined detours.
Completely closing the highway to quickly demolish the bridge is more time- and cost-effective than phased demolition, according to a RIDOT press release. The agency also says that a one-time closure limits the overall, long-term community impact. Rocchio added that Friday night into Saturday was chosen specifically because it is a low-traffic timeframe.
DaSilva said he believes that RIDOT and the city of East Providence have effectively spread the word of this brief closure to residents and businesses in the surrounding area, and that he is hoping motorists will follow instructions and seek detours.
Once demolished, RIDOT estimates that it will take approximately 12-18 months to rebuild the Potter Street Bridge, with this portion of the Washington Bridge rebuild project expected to conclude in summer 2028.
The construction will provide “four continuous westbound travel lanes between the Broadway interchange and the Washington Bridge, along with a fifth lane leading to a new off-ramp at Waterfront Drive,” RIDOT said in a press release.
RIDOT officials note that “these improvements are expected to help alleviate longstanding congestion on I-195 West, which has historically caused traffic to back up toward the Massachusetts state line.”
Overall, the Washington Bridge rebuild project is expected to cost $427.9 million; more than half ($221 million) is being funded by federal grants and GARVEE bonds. Officials say these projects are currently on time and on budget.
Those interested in seeing the demolition will be able to do so, Rocchio said.
“Traffic camera, our live streaming traffic camera will be capturing the demolition if you want to stay up and watch it, but it's going to be a contractor that specializes in demolition. They have these machines with claws that kind of rips the bridge down, and they have contingency plans in place to ensure that they have a backup for everything — extra equipment, extra people, extra parts,” he said.
