North Smithfield Rt. 146 Bridge To Come Down; Detours Announced

NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI — Expect detours and lane changes as the Rhode Island Department of Transportation works to advance its $13.9 million replacement of the Farnum Pike Bridge. The current bridge, which carries Route 146 over the Farnum Pike (Route 104), is slated to be demolished, and a new span will be built.

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Upcoming changes include overnight lane closures, a new lane split for Route 146 South, a detour for oversized trucks, a six-month ramp closure and a two-day closure of Route 104 for bridge demolition.

• On Tuesday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 24, the left lane of Route 146 in both directions at the bridge will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

• Starting at 8 p.m., Friday, March 26, one of the two travel lanes on Route 146 South will be closed overnight. The new traffic pattern, with one lane on each side of the split, will be in place by 6 a.m. on Saturday, March 27.

• Once the split is in place, oversized trucks must take Exit 11 for Route 104 and follow a detour along Route 104 North and Route 146A South to return to Route 146 South. A detour map is available at www.ridot.net/detourmaps.

• Starting at 8 p.m., Friday, March 26, RIDOT will close the on-ramp from Route 104 to Route 146 South for approximately six months. Motorists will follow the same detour as oversized trucks on Route 146 South.

• Starting on Monday, March 29 at 8 p.m., Route 104 North traffic will be detoured using Route 5 (Providence Pike), North Smithfield Industrial Drive, Pound Hill Road and Route 146A to return to Route 104. Southbound Route 104 traffic will use the on-ramp to Route 146 North, take the Pound Hill Road exit and reverse direction to Route 146 South and take the Route 104 exit. A detour map is available at www.ridot.net/detourmaps

Any changes will be posted at www.ridot.net/traveladvisories/#OtherHighways.

The Farnum Pike Bridge was built in 1958 and carries approximately 40,000 vehicles per day. It has been rated as structurally deficient for more than 20 years. The bridge replacement project is slated for completion in summer of 2022.