NORTH SMITHFIELD – Starting tonight, Friday, March 13, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation will begin a series of lane and road closures associated with the rapid demolition and replacement of the Douglas Pike Bridges, which carry Route 7 over I-295 in Smithfield.
The work will take place during evening and overnight hours, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., when traffic volumes at lowest to minimize disruption to travelers, according to RIDOT officials.
The schedule is as follows:
- Friday-Monday nights, March 13-16: Drivers on I-295 in both directions may encounter brief highway closures lasting no more than 15 minutes in the vicinity of the Douglas Pike Bridges at Exit 15.
- Thursday night, March 19 and Saturday and Sunday nights, March 21-22: Route 7 North will be closed at the I-295 interchange. Drivers will detour by using the ramp to I-295 North, then take Exit 18B for Route 146 North. They then will use the ramp to get onto I-295 South, then take Exit 15B to return to Route 7 North.
- Saturday and Sunday nights, March 21-22: Drivers on I-295 in both directions may encounter brief highway closures lasting no more than 15 minutes in the vicinity of the Douglas Pike Bridges at Exit 15.
After this phase of work, RIDOT will demolish and replace the portion of the Douglas Pike Bridge carrying southbound traffic, with work expected to be done in mid-May.
This rapid bridge construction approach will save motorists up to two years of lane closures and shifts associated with conventional construction…