Portsmouth Road Destroyed By Ida Flooding

PORTSMOUTH, RI — Fairview Lane was rendered completely impassable Thursday after heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Ida slammed southern New England overnight. Drivers are asked to avoid the areas as crews work to repair the damaged road.

The road was shut down from Roger Williams Court to the water after half the road completely collapsed. The break limited water service to the area as well, police said. The Department of Public Works, Water Department and Utility Services all worked to repair the road as quickly as possible.

Gov. Dan McKee said he spoke with Portsmouth Town Administrator Rich Rainer, who said the town was "working swiftly to make Fairview Lane fully passable."

Photos posted by Portsmouth police Thursday afternoon showed crews working to excavate the damage and begin the repaving process. Repairs were expected to last at least throughout the day Thursday.

The storm hit Rhode Island hard, dropping several inches of rain across the state. Kingston saw the highest totals at 9.83 inches, while Portsmouth was not far behind at 8.3 inches. Roads were flooded and washed out across the state, particularly in the East Bay and along the southern shore.

Read more: Ida Drops 8+ Inches Of Rain In RI: Newport County Rain Totals