Rhode Island News

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe other freeway stubs can get the same treatment on canceled freeways that will never be constructed.

[Ted$8roadFan]

It is a freeway removal, and one that will be beneficial to Newport and its many visitors.

[Alps]

It is a freeway removal, and one that will be beneficial to Newport and its many visitors.

It's really a freeway stub removal that serves no purpose, so this is no effect on traffic, only positives on overall environment.

[Ted$8roadFan]

It is a freeway removal, and one that will be beneficial to Newport and its many visitors.

It's really a freeway stub removal that serves no purpose, so this is no effect on traffic, only positives on overall environment.

Much will depend on how traffic into Newport from the bridge, long stuck on that narrow outdated ramp, ends up getting into town on the new configuration.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Construction begins on RI-146 north of I-295:

https://www.ri.gov/press/view/46465

[southshore720]

Construction begins on RI-146 north of I-295:

https://www.ri.gov/press/view/46465

Yet the Lincoln-Providence sign replacement project has gone into complete limbo...

[bob7374]

Construction begins on RI-146 north of I-295:

https://www.ri.gov/press/view/46465

Yet the Lincoln-Providence sign replacement project has gone into complete limbo...

Yes, a comparison of Street View images from this past summer to those from 2021 shows little progress, if any. There are now a number of bridge replacement projects going on between I-295 and I-95, perhaps they are just going to wait until all those are completed.

[Ted$8roadFan]

I drove RI 4 for the first time ever earlier this week.  The last time I was on this road was at some point I think in the 80s and it ended at the RI 2 exit. 
Anyway, this is the SB "exit now" for Exit 9...

DSC03187 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

I did look in my "rear view" and saw an I-95 South shield on the NB signage, which I believe was the 1/4 mile advance (at Exit 9-A).  Come to think of it, yes, the sign I posted above should be NB, since it has isolated "RI 401 West", when the SB direction provides access to both RI 401 East and West. 

Maybe someone should drop a line to RIDOT about this.  I did for ConnDOT a few months ago and the error was corrected quite quickly. 

Regardless, having I-95 displayed here isn't a terrible idea.  With the RI 4 exit being a left hand exit (with multiple lanes) from I-95 South, I bet its seen its fair share of motorists who have gotten in the wrong lane and have to get back.  I-95 South in Salisbury, MA has similar "return to I-495" shields posted one exit later, giving motorists a second chance. 

And the design of that pull-through... really?  No control city?  Something like "Narragansett/Newport" would work (and should be posted on I-95 instead of "North Kingstown").  Or ideally, "Shore Points" would be nice too, but we all know the MUTCD doesn't like that.

A follow-up; the state has not replaced the "To 95" on  northbound RI-4 at Exit 9W to RI-401 west. They should, as it is the only way to get from RI-4 north to I-95 south for the foreseeable future.

[southshore720]

I drove RI 4 for the first time ever earlier this week.  The last time I was on this road was at some point I think in the 80s and it ended at the RI 2 exit. 
Anyway, this is the SB "exit now" for Exit 9...

DSC03187 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

I did look in my "rear view" and saw an I-95 South shield on the NB signage, which I believe was the 1/4 mile advance (at Exit 9-A).  Come to think of it, yes, the sign I posted above should be NB, since it has isolated "RI 401 West", when the SB direction provides access to both RI 401 East and West. 

Maybe someone should drop a line to RIDOT about this.  I did for ConnDOT a few months ago and the error was corrected quite quickly. 

Regardless, having I-95 displayed here isn't a terrible idea.  With the RI 4 exit being a left hand exit (with multiple lanes) from I-95 South, I bet its seen its fair share of motorists who have gotten in the wrong lane and have to get back.  I-95 South in Salisbury, MA has similar "return to I-495" shields posted one exit later, giving motorists a second chance. 

And the design of that pull-through... really?  No control city?  Something like "Narragansett/Newport" would work (and should be posted on I-95 instead of "North Kingstown").  Or ideally, "Shore Points" would be nice too, but we all know the MUTCD doesn't like that.

A follow-up; the state has not replaced the "To 95" on  northbound RI-4 at Exit 9W to RI-401 west. They should, as it is the only way to get from RI-4 north to I-95 south for the foreseeable future.

My email to RIDOT was referred to the contractor, which probably ended up in "Spam." Maybe additional pressure will finally get this resolved.

[kramie13]

I was on I-95 south of Providence the other day, and noticed the signage for TF Green Airport has changed.

Previously, the signs for Exit 29 read "TF Green Airport".  Now it reads "RI TF Green Int'l Airport".

Why is the signage more verbose now?  Also, I don't even I've ever seen a flight out of that airport with a destination outside of the United States.

[Alps]

I was on I-95 south of Providence the other day, and noticed the signage for TF Green Airport has changed.

Previously, the signs for Exit 29 read "TF Green Airport".  Now it reads "RI TF Green Int'l Airport".

Why is the signage more verbose now?  Also, I don't even I've ever seen a flight out of that airport with a destination outside of the United States.

They are International, but I see nothing in their flight list that suggests a direct connection across a border, so that confuses me. The "RI" should flat out disappear and the airport should have to explain why it's Int'l now.

[deathtopumpkins]

The airport's name officially changed a couple years ago. The airport wanted to rename itself "Rhode Island International Airport" to both emphasize its international status and include actual location, but the state legislature kept the T. F. Green name as well. With the recently completed runway extension they want to attract more long haul flights.

T.F. Green currently has flights to the Caribbean, formerly had flights to Toronto, and for a brief time Norwegian offered flights to a couple places in Europe.

[Ted$8roadFan]

The state is working to attract more visitors, so Rhode Island International makes sense in that regard. At the same time, keeping T.F. Green is designed to satisfy the locals. And RI International does have an international flight, to Santo Domingo, Dominican Repubic.

[Mergingtraffic]

Anybody been to the Henderson Bridge lately?

I wonder if the old bridge is still partially up and are these signs laying aroud?  Is the ALL TRAFFIC one uncovered somewhere on the site?

[The Ghostbuster]

Would it be possible to make similar modifications to the eastern end of the Henderson Expressway as they are doing to the eastern end of the RI 138 freeway in Newport?

[vdeane]

Speaking of RI 138 in Newport, the new configuration is now in street view.  On thing that's weird is that the RI 138 and TO RI 114 signs point to the left instead of to the right as one would expect.  Is this in error, or did RIDOT reroute RI 138?

[shadyjay]

I had that EXACT same question when I went throuh there this past summer.  The response I think was RIDOT wanting traffic to use JT Connel Highway.  But, again, with the road system not completed yet, some sign adjustments will most likely occur. 

Whatever they decide, it shouldn't just be a "one-off" sign.  The rotary IIRC lacked the proper signage to point motorists to RI 138 East, and at the end of JTC, same thing. 

[Ted$8roadFan]

I am also serious as to why RIDOT apparently wants drivers to take JT Connell over to West Main Road instead of Admiral Kalbfus, which is still the official route per Google maps.  I wonder if someone convinced them to route traffic through the commercial area instead of the residential area on the north side of Newport. If Connell is to be the new route, not only must the signage be improved but turn lanes will need to be added at the shopping plaza to minimize delays. The road should be repaved as well.

[citrus]

I didn't see this posted yet: WB I-195 is fully closed over the Washington Bridge in Providence. Detours include the Henderson Bridge, SR 114A to US-1A, or MA-25 to I-495. Got a note from a family member in Providence. Looks looks like they are going to try to shift all traffic over to the EB lanes (2 in each direction), and it will likely be that way for a few months. That will snarl things up!

https://www.ri.gov/press/view/46843

[Ted$8roadFan]

I didn't see this posted yet: WB I-195 is fully closed over the Washington Bridge in Providence. Detours include the Henderson Bridge, SR 114A to US-1A, or MA-25 to I-495. Got a note from a family member in Providence. Looks looks like they are going to try to shift all traffic over to the EB lanes (2 in each direction), and it will likely be that way for a few months. That will snarl things up!

https://www.ri.gov/press/view/46843

At 6:30 AM, traffic on I-195 west is already backing up into Massachusetts.

[kernals12]

 

I didn't see this posted yet: WB I-195 is fully closed over the Washington Bridge in Providence. Detours include the Henderson Bridge, SR 114A to US-1A, or MA-25 to I-495. Got a note from a family member in Providence. Looks looks like they are going to try to shift all traffic over to the EB lanes (2 in each direction), and it will likely be that way for a few months. That will snarl things up!

https://www.ri.gov/press/view/46843

With I-95 in Philadelphia and I-10 in LA, this is now the 3rd unplanned interstate bridge closure in a major city just this year. That must be a record.

If those other 2 are anything to go by, this is only going to take a few weeks before the bridge is reopened.

[JMoses24]

I didn't see this posted yet: WB I-195 is fully closed over the Washington Bridge in Providence. Detours include the Henderson Bridge, SR 114A to US-1A, or MA-25 to I-495. Got a note from a family member in Providence. Looks looks like they are going to try to shift all traffic over to the EB lanes (2 in each direction), and it will likely be that way for a few months. That will snarl things up!

https://www.ri.gov/press/view/46843

With I-95 in Philadelphia and I-10 in LA, this is now the 3rd unplanned interstate bridge closure in a major city just this year. That must be a record.

If those other 2 are anything to go by, this is only going to take a few weeks before the bridge is reopened.

RIDOT is in the midst of a major reconstruction of the bridge. I think the 3 month timeline is realistic pending anything else they find.

One would hope the eastbound side doesn't have any of these same deficiencies, or the whole eastern side of the Providence metropolitan area is just going to become one gridlocked mess.

[Mergingtraffic]

According to an article I saw, workers found an issue Friday and engineers came in over the weekend to look at it and then it wasn't closed until Monday afternoon, after getting the report Monday morning.  According to news reports it seems to be pretty significant and could've actually collapsed. I think it was a pin type design (Like I-95 in Mianus CT??)

Emergency vehicles can use the bridge, one by one they said. 

The EB side seems newer according to GSV. I'm guessing they're 2 separate bridges just really close to each other?

If that's the case, what took them so long to close the bridge??  2-3 days seems to be a long time from first suspicions to the actual closure.  When there's truck vs bridges engineers are out immediately to look at the bridge.

There was another story in Arkansas where a worker or inspector called the police to shut down the I-40 bridge and they did so immediately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0svFbN7RSI

[Alps]

Is this the ancient concrete arch bridge on I-195? I'm not surprised if that's the one.

[Mergingtraffic]

Is this the ancient concrete arch bridge on I-195? I'm not surprised if that's the one.

I'm not sure, it wasn't part of the interchange project.  It was the bridge after.