Both directions of I-195 near the Taunton Avenue exit in East Providence are scheduled to close at 10 p.m. Nov. 6 for demolition of the Potter Street Bridge.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation expects some lanes to reopen by 10 a.m. Nov. 7 and all lanes by noon. Lane reductions may begin after 8 p.m. before the full closure, according to its Oct. 23 advisory.
RIDOT advises drivers to avoid unnecessary travel through the area during the closure. Eastbound traffic will use Exit 1D to Warren Avenue and rejoin I-195 East about a mile away. Westbound traffic will use Exit 2 at Broadway, then Warren Avenue and a temporarily opened ramp to return to I-195 West.
The detours will also affect local travel. Only Pawtucket Avenue and Waterfront Drive will be available for north-south crossings of the affected section of Warren Avenue. Parking there will be prohibited, and Broadway will close between Freeborn Avenue and Warren Avenue.
Three ramps to I-195 West will close: the Warren Avenue westbound ramp at the East Shore Expressway, the Pawtucket Avenue ramp and the ramp from Broadway southbound. RIDOT says signed local detours and a dedicated emergency-vehicle route will be provided.
Demolishing the overpass is part of the Washington Bridge rebuild project. RIDOT says the replacement will accommodate a wider westbound highway corridor and expects the new Potter Street Bridge to reopen in summer 2028. Drivers crossing I-195 locally will use the neighboring Purchase Street Bridge while Potter Street is closed; pedestrians will have a shorter route using School, Purchase and Freeborn streets.
RIDOT says construction dates can change with weather and other conditions. Drivers should check the department's latest advisory before the closure weekend.