Travel Advisory: Henderson Bridge Lane Closures In E. Providence

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI—The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will begin lane closures on Henderson Bridge in East Providence and Providence during the daytime hours on Monday, Dec. 28.

The work is part of RIDOT's Henderson Bridge Replacement Project. The bridge, a 26-span, 2,000-foot structure built in 1969, carries vehicles over the Seekonk River from East Providence to Providence. It has been rated as structurally deficient since 1996. The lane closures are the first step in the repair project, which will reduce Rhode Island's structurally deficient bridge area by 12 percent.

"The lane closures allow RIDOT to build connector roads and make other changes in advance of a traffic shift on the bridge in mid-January," said RIDOT in a press release. "At that point, the Department will maintain one lane in each direction on the southern side of the bridge, allowing it to demolish and rebuild the northern section. This change will be in place for approximately two years."

RIDOT said the following changes for the Henderson Expressway are expected:

• The Henderson Expressway eastbound toward East Providence will be reduced from two lanes to one lane from the access road from Waterman Avenue in Providence to Massasoit Avenue in East Providence.
• The Henderson Expressway westbound toward Providence just prior to South Angell Street in Providence will be reduced from two lanes to one lane.
• Massasoit Avenue in East Providence in both directions will be reduced from two lanes to one lane at the Henderson Bridge interchange, between Wilmarth Avenue and Dexter Road.

The $84.4 million repair project to replace the Henderson Bridge was supported by $54.5 million in federal funding to help states with bridges in poor condition and made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT's commitment to modernizing and repairing Rhode Island's transportation infrastructure and promoting economic development.

Updates on changes to the state's construction project schedules and scopes can be found at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks. Information on temporary lane closures and travel advisories is available at www.ridot.net/traveladvisories.