What To Expect For I-95 Weekend Lane Closures In Cranston, Providence

CRANSTON, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will resume its series of weekend lane closures on Friday at I-95 near Route 10/Exit 33 at the Cranston-Providence line to replace the Wellington Avenue Bridge.

The project began last weekend and is expected to continue until Sept. 18, RIDOT officials said.

Travelers should expect delays and use alternate routes such as Route 10 and I-295 on these weekends.

Each weekend, lanes will be closed on both sides of the highway as RIDOT demolishes and replaces different parts of the structurally deficient bridge. The closures start at 7 p.m. on Fridays, with all lanes open by 5 a.m. Monday morning. RIDOT said they will keep at least two lanes open on the side of the bridge being worked on each weekend.

For brief periods, the week of Sept. 11 for I-95 northbound, there will be a lane split with two lanes on either side of the work zone. Drivers should not stop or suddenly change lanes at the split. This unsafe behavior will cause traffic delays and could lead to a crash, state officials said

The remaining schedule for the bridge replacement and traffic impacts is as follows:

• Sept. 8: There will be a lane split on I-95 North near Route 10 in Cranston, with two lanes on either side of the split. All lanes go through.
• Sept. 8-11: The two left lanes on I-95 North and the left lane on I-95 South will be closed beginning at 7 p.m. Friday night, September 8. All lanes reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, September 11.
• Sept. 11-15: There will be a lane split on I-95 North near Route 10 in Cranston, with two lanes on either side of the split. All lanes go through.
• Sept. 15-18: The two right lanes on I-95 North and the left lane on I-95 South will be closed beginning at 7 p.m. Friday night, September 15. All lanes reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, September 18. There will be no lane split, northbound or southbound.

The bridge replacement operation also requires the closure of Wellington Avenue at the bridge, with a signed detour established for local traffic. The detour will be in effect until mid-September.

According to RIDOT officials, this rapid approach to bridge replacement saves motorists more than two years of lane closures, shifts, and splits.

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