Construction to close parts of Route 146

State DOT to shut down parts of road in North Smithfield starting on Friday, July 7

NORTH SMITHFIELD — The state Department of Transportation will temporarily close Route 146 late next week so steel can be installed for the new Central Street Bridge, which carries local traffic on Route 5/Central Street over Route 146, close to the Massachusetts border in North Smithfield.

The closures are scheduled to begin on Friday, July 7, at 10 p.m. with one side of the highway closed at a time. However, when one side of the highway is closed, the high-speed lane on the other side also will be closed. Route 146A will be used as a detour during the closures. The DOT says the closure is less restrictive than the original schedule, which would have involved closing one direction in its entirety for two full weekends.

The first sequence of closures and detours is expected to begin on Friday, July 7, at 10 p.m. and conclude Saturday, July 8, at noon. It will include the closure and detour of Route 146 south at Exit 1 (Uxbridge), accompanied by the closure of the high-speed lane on Route 146 north from School Street to the Massachusetts/Rhode Island border.

The second phase of girder installation begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 8, and concludes Sunday, July 9, at 10 a.m. This sequence

will include the closure and detour of Route 146 north at School Street accompanied by closure of the high speed lane on Route 146 south beginning at Exit 1.

The specifics on the closures and re-openings of portions of Route 146 north and south are as follows:

• Friday, July 7 at 10 p.m. – Route 146 south closed between the Forestdale/Slatersville exit in North Smithfield and Exit 1 in Uxbridge, Mass. Also, the highspeed lane on Route 146 north will be closed.

• Saturday, July 8 at 12 p.m. – Route 146 south and the high speed lane of Route 146 north reopens. • Saturday, July 8 at 3 p.m. – Route 146 north will be closed in this area. Also, the highspeed lane on Route 146 south will be closed. • Sunday, July 9 at 10 a.m. – All lanes reopened

Motorists can expect delays during the closure periods, and the use of alternate routes is recommended. RIDOT says it chose to do this work on a weekend when traffic volumes are reduced to minimize impact to travelers.

The Central Street Bridge itself will be closed until late fall. Final completion of the project is expected in spring 2018.

The bridge has been structurally deficient for 18 years, and currently has a 24-ton weight limit. As the bridge is being completely replaced, the new structure will be safe for use by all legal load trucks. In total, the project will cost $7.7 million. All detour routes cross over the state line into Massachusetts. RIDOT will be coordinating with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and neighboring communities in Massachusetts regarding all closures.

All dates are weather-dependent and subject to change.