See Lane Closures, Detours For Tower Hill Road Bridge Project In North Kingstown

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Beginning Thursday, there will be lane closures on Route 1 at the Route 138 interchange in North Kingstown, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) said.

The lane closures start at 9 p.m. and are being done for two consecutive weekends. RIDOT officials said the closures are happening, so crews can use accelerated bridge construction methods to replace the structurally deficient Tower Hill Road Bridge.

During the first weekend of the project, lanes and ramps will be temporarily shifted and closed, and detours will be implemented. Route 1 will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Motorists should expect delays and provide additional time for travel. RIDOT recommends the use of alternate routes if possible.

State officials said access to local businesses along the Route 1 corridor will be maintained at all times.

RIDOT officials said crews successfully demolished and installed a new southbound bridge this past weekend, reopening all lanes ahead of schedule, shortly after 4 a.m. Monday. Crews constructed new bridge decks next to the existing bridge so they could be slid into place over the weekends. The northbound bridge will be replaced next, starting at 9 p.m. Thursday and finishing by 5 a.m. Monday, RIDOT officials said.

The planned closures and suggested detours for this weekend are as follows:

Lanes/Ramps to be Closed

• Route 1 – one lane in each direction closed at the bridge
• Ramp from Route 1 South to Route 138 East
• Ramp from Route 138 West to Route 1 South
• Ramps that allow traffic to reverse direction from Route 1 North to Route 1 South, and Route 1 South to Route 1 North.

Lanes/Ramps to Remain Open

• Ramp from Route 1 North to Route 138 East • Ramp from Route 138 West to Route 1 North.

Suggested Detours

• Route 1 South from East Greenwich to Route 138 East toward Jamestown/Newport: Remain on Route 1 South and reverse direction to Route 1 North using the turnaround approximately 1 mile south of the Tower (intersection with Moorsefield Road and Bridgetown Road). Follow Route 1 North to the ramp to Route 138 East. Note: Trucks will be directed to detour at Bridgetown Road to Boston Neck Road (Route 1A) to Route 138
• Route 1 South to Route 1 North: Use same detour as Route 1 South to Route 138
• Route 138 West from Jamestown to Route 1 South toward South Kingstown/Narragansett: Use the ramp for Route 1 North. Merge onto Route 4, then turn right onto West Allenton Road. Turn right onto Route 1 South
• Route 1 North to Route 1 South: Use same detour as Route 138 West to Route 1 South.

In addition to the detours listed above, motorists coming from the University of Rhode Island Kingston campus area heading toward North Kingstown should use Route 2 northbound to reach Route 4. Anyone driving north from the Narragansett area should use Route 1A. Drivers in the Providence area or points north may wish to use I-195 toward Newport County.

Have a news tip? Email jimmy.bentley@patch.com.