RIDOT TO RESUME MILLING AND PAVING I-295 FROM JOHNSTON TO WARWICK

Starting Sunday night, April 16, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will resume milling and paving on the I-295 corridor. This year RIDOT will finish paving the entire highway, including all exits and on-ramps, from the Massachusetts border in Cumberland to the I-95 interchange in Warwick.

This year’s paving begins at the Greenville Avenue (Route 5/Exit 10) interchange in Johnston and will proceed south. Last year RIDOT paved I-295 between the Massachusetts state line and Greenville Avenue. RIDOT will first mill and pave the mainline travel lanes of I-295. Resurfacing for all the on-ramps and exits will be done in late summer.

Work will take place during evening and overnight hours when traffic volumes are low, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday-Thursday nights. There will be lane closures, brief ramp closures and minor delays during these hours. Some daytime work may be needed during off-peak hours. Drivers can expect uneven and milled surfaces for the duration of the project. Detailed information will be posted weekly at www.ridot.net/TravelAdvisories.

The $36 million project also includes resurfacing two small sections of deteriorated pavement on I-95 in Pawtucket from Lonsdale Avenue to Walcott Street, and a section of Route 6 West in Providence and Johnston, from the Glenbridge Avenue Bridge to I-295. Combined, RIDOT will repave approximately 40 miles of highway.

This is among the first in a series of projects that will invest $492 million in paving over five years – using the latest, most durable asphalt mixes – thanks to the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The pavement mixes RIDOT uses today are far more durable and include additives that significantly extend the service life of the new pavement. In addition to providing a smoother riding surface, the more durable pavement also reduces the need for future paving projects, saves millions of dollars and reduces construction time which, helps decrease greenhouse gases.

I-295 carries approximately 50,000 vehicles per day. The section of I-95 in Pawtucket carries about 110,000 vehicles per day and the section of Route 6 carries 15,000 vehicles per day. The entire project, which also includes stormwater improvements, wraps up in summer 2024.

All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings and weather.

This resurfacing project is made possible by RhodeWorks and the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Improvement Act. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island’s infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.