Horton Farm Bridge Work Completed In East Providence

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — Work to replace the structurally deficient Horton Farm Bridge has been completed three months ahead of schedule. The bridge, which carries the East Shore Expressway to Interstate 195 in East Providence, was 34 years old but was not properly maintained, according to state transportation officials. The old bridge had severe concrete and steel deterioration throughout.

"The completion of this project lets us check another structurally deficient bridge off the large list of bad bridges — a list which earned our state the reputation of having the worst bridges in the country," said Rhode Island Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr. "Thanks to the Governor's RhodeWorksk program, we are able to maintain this steady drum beat of bridge projects to lower the number of structurally deficient bridges in Rhode Island and bring us into compliance with federal minimum bridge deficiency standards by 2025."

Transportation officials say they were able to complete the Horton Farm Bridge replacement project with minimal impact on traffic. In a phased construction approach, they maintained traffic flow while working on half of the bridge, then switching the pattern and working on the other half of the bridge.

The state's Department of Transportation also had two weekend closures for the demolition of the old bridge. They used crossover lanes so that at least two lanes of travel could flow in both directions on one side of the highway while demolition was being conducted on the other side. Overnight rolling roadblocks were also implemented while steel structures were being placed, avoiding further closures or detours.

Transportation officials say these methods shortened the duration of the project by about six months.

The project also included repaving both directions of I-195 from the Massachusetts border to the Broadway exit, and replacing the median barrier and street lighting in that area.