Rhode Island News

southshore720 · August 23, 2018, 02:48:20 PM

I was on I-295 yesterday (both directions). Signage for the new Exit 10 looks great! However, in true RI style, there were some LGSs for Exit 1B (former Exit 2) and Exit 6 (former Exit 4) going NB. New signs don't last long on RI highways! Also, still no replacement for the damaged sign for US 44 W (New Exit 12B) going NB.

zzyzx · August 23, 2018, 05:58:44 PM

Before I left, I drove up I-295 and got video of the new Exit 10.
I like the look of the horizontal retroreflective signals with the FYA. It (almost) seems like I'm driving back in Texas!

jon daly · August 23, 2018, 10:04:33 PM

This was asked about in Mass. so I answered there. Pardon the repitition.

Per WJAR, it's been more than 20 years since the westbound portion of the Washington Bridge was repaired.

https://turnto10.com/news/local/construction-on-interstate-195-west-to-start-sunday-night

southshore720 · August 24, 2018, 02:00:30 PM

Quote from: zzyzx on August 23, 2018, 05:58:44 PM
Before I left, I drove up I-295 and got video of the new Exit 10.
I like the look of the horizontal retroreflective signals with the FYA. It (almost) seems like I'm driving back in Texas!

Great video! I too love the horizontal signals. That's a rarity in RI! It's too bad there weren't LGSs for the I-295 on-ramps. Just the very understated trailblazers.

bob7374 · August 25, 2018, 11:42:42 AM

RIDOT has advertised the contract for the next round of exit renumbering. The project number is 2018-CT-081 and it's due to be let on September 11. The only firm that has asked for project plans so far is Liddell Bros. Inc. The RIDOT project advertising page is at: http://www.dot.ri.gov/contracting/bids/index.php

The Ghostbuster · August 27, 2018, 04:09:53 PM

Which roadway will get mileage-based exits next?

shadyjay · August 27, 2018, 04:39:48 PM

I'm not positive, but weren't there three contracts with the mileage-based exit conversion? I believe I-95 was in the final contract, so that would make this one include potentially I-195, RI 146, and maybe RI 4? Again, just going by memory here. That's quite the vague contract listing on the RIDOT site, though.

KEVIN_224 · August 27, 2018, 05:23:36 PM

NBC Channel 10 of Providence says that some of the Washington Bridge construction on I-195 is temporarily suspended. Exit 3 for Gano Street is still closed.

jon daly · August 27, 2018, 06:52:06 PM

^ The drive home was easier tonight. RIDOT reopened the entrance ramp from Taunton Avenue (US-44.) They had constructed a temporary ramp that just dumped cars on to an I-195 lane without giving them enough space to merge.

That's my view from the driver's seat.

bob7374 · August 27, 2018, 11:29:36 PM

Quote from: shadyjay on August 27, 2018, 04:39:48 PM
I'm not positive, but weren't there three contracts with the mileage-based exit conversion? I believe I-95 was in the final contract, so that would make this one include potentially I-195, RI 146, and maybe RI 4? Again, just going by memory here. That's quite the vague contract listing on the RIDOT site, though.

The remaining routes to be renumbered (from those listed in last year's I-295/RI 99 press release) are RI 4, 10, 24, 37, 78, 403, the TF Green Airport Connector, I-95 and I-195. I-95 will be part of the last contract. Will be interesting to see if they do all the state routes with this contract or include some with the I-95 one. Based on the timing of last year's announcement, there probably won't be any official word from RIDOT until early October.

Beeper1 · August 27, 2018, 11:53:00 PM

I believe RI-146 is being done as part of a separate contract to do a full sign replacement.

bob7374 · August 29, 2018, 03:20:02 PM

Quote from: Beeper1 on August 27, 2018, 11:53:00 PM
I believe RI-146 is being done as part of a separate contract to do a full sign replacement.

Yes. Though a trip along RI 146 a couple weeks ago provided no hint that the project has started yet.

jon daly · October 19, 2018, 08:04:50 PM

A post in another thread reminded me of a question that's been in the back of my mind for a while. My commute is on I-95 and goes though South County.. There are two weigh stations/rest areas near the Exeter/Richmond line. The southbound one has been taken over by a construction company as a staging area. At first, I thought that it was for the nearby toll gantry, but that project ended months ago. Is there still some nearby construction?

southshore720 · October 19, 2018, 08:21:40 PM

I never understood why those rest areas weren't fully developed. Right now, they encourage truckers to use facilities off of Exit 5B, which forces tractor trailers to use the tight cloverleaf interchange to get on/off the highway. Not exactly ideal for truckers.

jon daly · October 19, 2018, 10:58:48 PM

It doesn't help for the northbound truckers that the Victory Highway overpass is still being worked on.

jon daly · October 24, 2018, 07:36:02 PM

There's a new BGS on I-295 southbound between exits 10 and 9A. If I'm not mistaken, it was put up this morning. I doubt that I can get a pic. Traffic moves too smoothly there. If it was a mile and a half south, OTOH...

southshore720 · December 06, 2018, 05:00:07 PM

Progress toward eliminating the awkward highway segment of RI 138 in Newport that was once supposed to be "I-895."
http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20181206/federal-government-to-provide-20-million-for-pell-bridge-ramp-realignment

PHLBOS · December 07, 2018, 10:18:26 AM

Quote from: southshore720 on December 06, 2018, 05:00:07 PM
Progress toward eliminating the awkward highway segment of RI 138 in Newport that was once supposed to be "I-895."
http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20181206/federal-government-to-provide-20-million-for-pell-bridge-ramp-realignment

Here's the various Design Alternatives from this past August.
Personally, I'm leaning towards Alternate 1 since it still somewhat maintains RI 138 between the Newport Bridge & Admiral Kalbfus Rd. as a highway and is a nice relatively straight alignment. All the other alternates feature unnecessarily awkward alignment bends as well as roundabouts and/or signalized intersections.

AMLNet49 · December 07, 2018, 11:30:25 AM

Really the issue is the truncated final interchange that has a lot of wasted payment and makes 138 go on an unessesatt loop ramp, and the modified second-last interchange that has an awkward left exit one direction and a single-lane segment in the other. The freeway on the other side of the bridge is fine, it's just the Newport part that needs tweaking.

But let's be honest, all they really need to do is 1) remove the bridge at the final interchange and have the freeway end normally at the crossroad instead of looping over on the bridge and exit ramp, and 2) widen the bridge at the second-last interchange so that 138 North doesn't drop to one lane through there. Other than that nothing really needs to be done. The idea of tearing up the entire freeway and truncating it to the end of the bridge is unessessary and could be dangerous since people fly coming off that bridge.

southshore720 · December 07, 2018, 11:49:03 PM

Quote from: PHLBOS on December 07, 2018, 10:18:26 AM
Personally, I'm leaning towards Alternate 1 since it still somewhat maintains RI 138 between the Newport Bridge & Admiral Kalbfus Rd. as a highway and is a nice relatively straight alignment. All the other alternates feature unnecessarily awkward alignment bends as well as roundabouts and/or signalized intersections.

I'm with you on that one. It appears to be the most logical and cost-efficient solution.

Alps · December 08, 2018, 12:39:51 AM

Honestly, the BEST answer is to complete I-895 as planned. I don't know why you all aren't saying that.

jp the roadgeek · December 08, 2018, 03:31:16 AM

Quote from: Alps on December 08, 2018, 12:39:51 AM
Honestly, the BEST answer is to complete I-895 as planned. I don't know why you all aren't saying that.

Or at least the section between I-95 and US 1. RI 138 in that stretch can be a nightmare, especially passing through URI.

jon daly · December 08, 2018, 07:42:40 PM

Quote from: Alps on December 08, 2018, 12:39:51 AM
Honestly, the BEST answer is to complete I-895 as planned. I don't know why you all aren't saying that.

I won't say it because I'm intrigued by editorials like this. I'm not fully on board, but it does make me skeptical that growth is always good:

https://www.theday.com/op-edguest-opinions/20181125/tilting-at-wind-farms-humans-can-secure-future-through-economic-contraction-not-growth

PHLBOS · December 10, 2018, 09:57:16 AM

Quote from: Alps on December 08, 2018, 12:39:51 AM
Honestly, the BEST answer is to complete I-895 as planned. I don't know why you all aren't saying that.

Because such wasn't listed as an option & this isn't the Fictional Board.

Heck, I would've been okay with RI 24 being extended down to Newport via the Burma Road Corridor proposal that was floating around shortly after the plan for I-895 was nixed during the 1980s. Sadly, even that modest proposal died as well.

southshore720 · February 25, 2019, 09:34:45 PM

The Henderson Bridge on the Providence/East Providence line just got the green light for demo and reconstruction. It will shrink from 6 to 2 lanes, officially killing the dream of the past that a highway would run through there!
https://www.wpri.com/weather/pinpoint-traffic/-545-million-invested-for-ri-bridge-repairs-improvements/1808575989

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