Kingston Road Bridge Construction Completed

RICHMOND, RI — Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) officials and state and local leaders celebrated the completion of the Kingston Road Bridge with a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday.

The $21.3 million project was finished on budget and five months ahead of schedule, state officials said.

RIDOT replaced the 70-year-old bridge, which carries I-95 over Route 138 at the Exit 3 interchange in Richmond. The project also included changes to reduce the frequency and severity of crashes, and consolidated the two exits in each direction into a single exit.

Crews removed two sharply curved highway off-ramps as well as the tight weave for traffic on the highway with ramps spaced too closely together, a configuration dating back to the 1950s that would not meet today's design and safety standards.

In the five years prior to the start of construction in 2019, there were 148 crashes at the interchange, including one fatality and 28 involving injuries, RIDOT officials said. A review of crash data found that 52 crashes involved rear-end collisions, 27 in which a driver lost control of the vehicle and four in which a vehicle rolled over. Officials said the alignment and geometry of the new ramps will reduce the number of crashes and make the interchange safer.

"The Kingston Road Bridge project is a thoughtful redesign of our roadways," Gov. Dan McKee said. "Reconfiguring this interchange will make it much safer for the thousands of drivers who travel over this bridge, as well as pedestrians and passengers who use the nearby RIPTA stop. I thank RIDOT for completing this important project on budget and ahead of time and continuing our Administration's commitment to improve Rhode Island's roads and bridges."

RIDOT also removed a guardrail barrier along Route 138 at the bridge and installed new traffic signals with pedestrian crossing features. The department also added 1,500 feet of new sidewalk, making it easier and safer for pedestrians to walk along Route 138 and access the RIPTA bus stop just east of the bridge.

The Kingston Road Bridge carries 51,300 vehicles per day.