PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Transportation plans to open a third travel lane on the westbound side of the Washington Bridge on April 19, WPRI-TV CBS 12 reported.
RIDOT Director Peter Alviti told WPRI on Tuesday the third lane is expected to open that evening.
The change narrows travel lanes from 12 to 10 feet wide. The state has posted a 40 mph speed limit over the span, with trucks restricted to the far-right lane each way.
“The first couple of days are going to be difficult,” Alviti told WPRI. “It’s going to look different and it’s going to feel different.” “But our engineers expect to see the same benefits from that third lane that are happening on the eastbound side.”
The new lane is part of RIDOT’s plan to help ease congestion on the bridge, which is part of Interstate 195 that crosses the Seekonk River and connects the state’s East Bay with the city.
State officials back in December abruptly closed the westbound side of the bridge impacting local businesses and the westbound bridge, which state officials have said will need to be replaced.
The preliminary cost estimate by Colorado-based McNary, Bergeron & Johannesen, a structural engineering firm that specializes in design and construction engineering for bridge projects, currently ranges between $250 million and $300 million, according to the MBJ analysis. Demolition is scheduled to begin in July, with the project planned to be completed by September 2026.
On April 22, RIDOT opened a third travel lane on the eastbound side of the bridge. When announcing the plan, state officials said that the additional, narrowed lanes would increase motor vehicle capacity on the bridge by 50%. The Federal Highway Administration and engineering consultants confirmed that the eastbound bridge structure can support the additional traffic.