Travel Advisory: Howard Road Bridge In Cumberland Reopens

SMITHFIELD, RI—The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) reopened the Howard Road Bridge in Cumberland on Monday following over three years of repairs.

The bridge, which carries Howard Road over Abbott Run near the Massachusetts border, had been closed June 2017 following an inspection that found it could not remain open to traffic due to deterioration.

"The Department reconstructed this historic 134-year-old bridge in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act," says a press release from RIDOT. "This included removing granite blocks and cataloging them for their replacement while supporting abutments and other structural elements were replaced. RIDOT installed a new wood deck as well, resembling the nearby Rawson Road bridges, which were rebuilt under historic guidelines in the early 2000s."

The $3.1 million repair project to replace the Howard Road Bridge was 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.