Bridge work causing lane shifts on Route 99

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has announced upcoming temporary traffic pattern changes on two bridges on Route 99 in Cumberland and Lincoln.

The first change is slated for this weekend at the Blackstone River Bridge, a large structure that carries Route 99 over the Blackstone River between the Sayles Hill Road interchange and Route 122 (Mendon Road).

RIDOT will install a new expansion joint on the bridge over the course of one extended weekend period to reduce impacts to area motorists. The installation involves closing one of the two northbound lanes Friday night, Oc. 12 at 8 p.m., through Monday morning, Oct. 15, at 6 a.m. Motorists should plan for some delay.

The second change is scheduled for Oct. 20 on the bridge which carries Route 99 over Route 146, just prior to merging with Route 146 South. Lane closures will be needed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 19, and Saturday, Oct. 20, as part of establishing the new traffic pattern. At least one lane in both directions will remain open.

This work will require a divided highway configuration with a lane split in the middle of the bridge. Motorists should not stop or change lanes before the split. Both lanes continue through the work zone and provide access to Route 146 South.

The traffic split will allow the Department to continue replacing bridge joints and making concrete repairs. This project has been ongoing, and right now all traffic is shifted to the left to allow work on the right side of the bridge.

The lane split will remain in place through early November. At that time the split will be removed and all traffic will be shifted to the right to allow work on the left side of the bridge. The normal traffic pattern will be fully restored by the end of November.

All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change.

This $1.67 million project also includes repairs to two bridges on Route 78 in Westerly, and is scheduled reach final completion by the end of the year.

This bridge preservation and rehabilitation work was 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.