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RIDOT Starts Second Pontiac Bridge Slide

[CREDIT: RIDOT: The RIDOT will finish the second of two bridge slide repairs for the Pontiac Bridge this weekend, with detours till Monday.

[CREDIT: RIDOT: The RIDOT will finish the second of two bridge slide repairs for the Pontiac Bridge this weekend, with detours till Monday.
[CREDIT: RIDOT: The RIDOT will finish the second of two bridge slide repairs for the Pontiac Bridge this weekend, with detours till Monday.
CRANSTON — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT)’s second bridge slide for the Pontiac Avenue Bridge, and resulting detours, start tonight, with all roads reopening 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21.

RIDOT expects travel delays and strongly encourages travelers to consider alternate routes to access the busy Reservoir Avenue commercial district, including the Garden City and Chapel View shopping centers.

Rte. 37 East Detours: Nov. 18-21

The second bridge slide weekend for Rte. 37 East is scheduled to begin Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. lasting until Monday, Nov. 21 at 6 a.m. Like the Rte. 37 West detour, the Rte. 37 East detour also uses off-ramps and on-ramps located across the street from one another. The detours for Pontiac Avenue will be the same as the first closure weekend.

RIDOT recommends drivers consider alternate routes such as Rte. 10 to Route 2, I-295 to Route 2 and I-295 to Route 37 to reach their destinations. Signed detours include:

Route 37 East: Use Exit 1E (Pontiac Avenue) to detour, getting back onto the highway using the nearby Route 37 East on-ramp. Police officers will be present to keep traffic flowing through the detour.

Pontiac Avenue Southbound: Use Sockanosset Cross Road westbound to Route 2 South to the on-ramp to Route 37 East.

Pontiac Avenue Northbound: Use the on-ramp to Route 37 East and use Exit 2B for I-95 North, looping back onto Route 37 West (Exit 31B) and taking the off-ramp at Exit 1E to Pontiac Avenue.

Detour maps are available at www.ridot.net/DetourMaps.

The bridge slides are a form of accelerated bridge construction that saves an additional 24 months compared to conventional construction methods. This rapid approach minimizes the overall disruption to traffic and the surrounding commercial districts, limiting noise and vehicle emissions associated with much longer duration construction projects.

This $75.9 million, multi-bridge project is repairing deficient bridges along the Route 37 corridor with preservation, major rehabilitation, and/or reconstruction of 15 bridge structures in Cranston and Warwick. Six of these bridges are structurally deficient. Four will be replaced and two other bridges will be rehabilitated. The project also includes safety improvements at the Pontiac Avenue interchange from Route 37 West.

 

 

Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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