R146 overpass project to move to next phase with new closure
NORTH SMITHFIELD – The Rhode Island Department of Transportation announced a new road closure that will start this weekend as part of the R146 reconstruction project.
Starting Friday around 10 p.m., the on-ramp from R146 South to I-295 North in Lincoln will be closed to all traffic until the fall. While the on-ramp is closed, RIDOT crews will be constructing the overpass bridge that will carry I-295 over both sides of R146.
Charles St. Martin, a spokesperson for RIDOT, said during the closure, drivers should plan to leave a little extra time in their commutes to take marked the detour, which will be to take the next exit onto R116 and reverse direction to access the I-295 North ramp from the northbound side of R146.
Drivers on I-295 North heading to R146 are advised to stay to the right before the exit and prepare to take the exit sooner than they normally do.
St. Martin said the bridge construction has been progressing in phases, and this closure will be the start of phase two of three. About one third of the bridge has already been constructed, and when the closure is lifted in the fall, drivers will be directed onto the new section while the final phase is completed.
So far, the $196 million project, which began in 2022, is on time and on budget, St. Martin confirmed. The total project includes repaving eight miles of road, raising R146 over the intersection of Sayles Hill Road to eliminate the current traffic light there, replacing existing bridges and correcting “numerous safety and congestion problems,” according to project
documentation. Funding is coming from
the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress in 2021 as well as a $65 million infrastructure grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the prior year.
Several other lane closures and traffic advisories up and down R146 will be in place concurrently with the on-ramp closure. The advisories are updated every Friday on the RIDOT website.
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