I-195 Closure in East Providence for Potter Street Bridge Demolition

Overnight I-195 Closure in East Providence to Facilitate Potter Street Bridge Demolition

Drivers in East Providence face a significant detour this weekend as the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) moves forward with a major piece of infrastructure replacement. A stretch of I-195 is scheduled to shut down from 10 p.m. Friday until 10 a.m. Saturday to allow for the demolition of the Potter Street Bridge.

By condensing the most intensive work into a single overnight window, RIDOT aims to avoid the prolonged lane closures and chronic congestion that typically accompany large-scale bridge work.

Transportation officials detail closure of Interstate 195 for bridge removal in East Providence

According to WJAR, RIDOT Interim Director Robert Rocchio emphasized that the strategy is designed to prevent months of ongoing headaches for the region’s motorists.

“As opposed to doing it over several months, taking lanes and having traffic congestion issues,” Rocchio said.

The closure will impact the portion of I-195 near the Taunton Avenue exit. During the demolition window, traffic will be diverted onto Warren Avenue.

Warren Avenue to Serve as Temporary Interstate Bypass

East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva noted that the volume of diverted traffic will be substantial, stating, “Warren Avenue will be, in effect, 195.”

To manage this sudden influx of highway-speed traffic onto a local roadway, the city is deploying a significant law enforcement presence. Mayor DaSilva confirmed that 30 extra police and traffic personnel will be stationed along Warren Avenue. Their primary objective is to ensure that vehicles entering from side roads do not interfere with the continuous flow of the diverted interstate traffic.

RIDOT says overnight closure of I-195 for bridge demolition was designed to lessen impact

Commuters should be aware of several specific restrictions during the closure:

I-195 will be closed near the Taunton Avenue exit.
Crossing Warren Avenue, whether in a northbound or southbound direction, will not be permitted during the overnight hours.
Emergency vehicle access will be maintained through temporary ramps installed on and off the interstate.

RIDOT expects at least one lane of the interstate to be functional by 10 a.m. Saturday, with a goal of having all lanes fully reopened to traffic by noon.

I-195 to close overnight in East Providence, Nov. 6 thru 7 #shorts

The Long-Term Plan for I-195 Capacity

While the immediate concern for residents is the weekend’s traffic pattern, the demolition of the Potter Street Bridge is a necessary step toward solving a long-standing bottleneck in the Rhode Island transportation network. The current bridge structure is physically incapable of supporting the expansion required to meet modern traffic demands.

The end goal of this project is to increase the highway’s capacity by constructing two additional westbound lanes and one additional eastbound lane. Because the existing Potter Street Bridge lacks the width to accommodate these lanes underneath the current structure, RIDOT determined that a complete demolition and rebuild was the only viable path forward.

RIDOT prepares to shut down I-195 in East Providence for bridge demo

The project represents a major shift for a corridor that has historically struggled with throughput. Mayor DaSilva expressed optimism regarding the eventual outcome, noting that the area has long been a “punch point” that triggers significant backups on the highway.

Once the demolition is complete, the construction of the new Potter Street Bridge is expected to take anywhere from a year and 18 months.