On Friday, April 24, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will close two Hope bridges along a short section of Route 116 (Main Street), just over the Coventry town line, for eight months.
The detour will be in place to allow RIDOT to rehabilitate two bridges, about 200 feet apart: The Hope Bridge carries Main Street over the Pawtuxet River, and the adjacent Hope Hill Trench Bridge, which passes over a culvert, connecting to an old mill raceway.
Both Hope bridges were constructed in 1930 and are rated in fair condition. The bridges carry approximately 8,800 vehicles per day.
During the closure, detours will be established using major local and state roads in the area and a specific route will be established for trucks. RIDOT does not recommend that through traffic use other local roads, as they pass through predominately residential areas.
Rte. 116 Hope Bridges Detours
The recommended detours for the bridge closures are as follows:
- Route 116 South: Only local traffic will be permitted to proceed straight at the intersection of Main Street and North Road. All traffic will turn left onto Main Street (which becomes Route 115), then right onto Fairview Avenue into Coventry. Drivers will then turn right onto Route 117 (Washington Street) then right to return to Route 116. The travel time for the detour is approximately 15 minutes.
- Route 116 North: All traffic will turn left onto Hope Furnace Road in Coventry, then turn right onto Howard Avenue. Drivers will then turn right onto Route 12 (Scituate Avenue), cross over the Gainer Dam at the Scituate Reservoir, and follow Route 12 to the intersection with Route 116. The travel time for the detour is approximately 11 minutes.
- Truck Detour: Trucks will follow the same detour described above for Route 116 South, operating in both directions using Route 115, Fairview Avenue and Route 117. The travel time for the detour is approximately 10 minutes.
The bridge work is part of the $18.4 million Hope Corridor Project that will resurface numerous roads in the area. This includes a full-depth restoration of the road near the bridges, on Route 116 (Main Street/Knotty Oak Road) between Clarke Road in Coventry and Goddard Street in Scituate. Customary milling and paving will be done in the following areas:
- Route 116 from Goddard Street to Blossom Lane in Scituate.
- Route 116 from Clarke Road to just south of Gervais Street in Coventry.
- Route 12 from Route 116 to the area of Twin Oaks Drive in Scituate
- All of Old Scituate Avenue in Scituate
RIDOT is scheduled to reopen the bridges by the end of 2026. The paving will be done in spring 2027.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
The Hope Corridor Project is made possible by RhodeWorks. 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.
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 editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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