PROVIDENCE – Construction of a replacement for the aging Henderson Bridge could begin by late summer, leaving metro Providence with a shorter and skinnier span, but one that should accommodate vehicles, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists, according to the R.I. Department of Transportation.
In a virtual town hall Wednesday, project planners for the state described the proposed design, as well as access improvements. The town hall, hosted on a web-based program, attracted almost 400 registrants, according to planners.
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The bridge and access improvements will include a large multi-lane roundabout on the East Providence side of the span, which will connect all feeding roads into the area now, including Waterfront Drive.
The slimmer bridge and landing footprint will free land on the East Providence side for redevelopment.
East Providence officials say it offers a chance to open the waterfront up for residents of the city. “We are excited about greater access to pedestrians and bike traffic to our waterfront,” said Mayor Roberta L. DaSilva, in a statement.
Once completed, the Henderson Bridge – to be renamed Henderson Parkway – will have a 12-foot-wide, separated multi-use path for bicycles and pedestrians.
It will have decorative lighting and sidewalks leading up to the span on both sides.
From the Providence side, the two travel lanes approaching East Providence will be reduced to one, while the landing for Providence-bound commuters at South Angell Street will continue to have two lanes. Area residents and commuters had complained that an earlier planned reduction to one lane would lead to backups.
The bridge is an important commuting route between the East Bay and Providence, where South Angell Street offers access to Brown University and downtown Providence.
The project timeline includes the potential for construction to begin in the late summer or early fall of 2020. The completion is expected in 2024. During that time, the existing bridge will remain open for traffic, but with lanes shifted to accommodate construction.
The bridge is the largest remaining, structurally deficient bridge in the RIDOT roster. The project has a budget of about $88.5 million, about $50.5 million of which was obtained from federal funds through efforts by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-RI.
Initial design plans featured two roundabouts on the East Providence side of the bridge. That idea was scrapped in the redesign, according to planners.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
