RI: Providence I-95 Viaduct Northbound

Where the Traffic Jam Ends   

Challenge: The Woonasquatucket River which runs through Providence, R.I. is named for an Algonquin word meaning, “where the saltwater ends.” The Providence Viaduct Bridge which carries I-95 over the river, local roads, and Amtrak’s rail lines is where drivers’ patience end. About 220,000 vehicles pass through this congested corridor every day. It is one of the busiest highway bridges on the East Coast and its outdated configuration causes major traffic tie-ups and backups.  

Solution: With help from federal infrastructure investment the Rhode Island Department of Transportation is providing major updates to this critical passage through the state capital. The project not only replaces the I-95 Viaduct Bridge but also includes construction of a new collector-distributor road to eliminate dangerous weaving and congestion and reconfigures ramps to disentangle conflicting movements.  

What they’re saying: “It allows I-95 through lanes to flow freely, allows all merges to take place on the service road, and eliminates chronic congestion associated with entrance and exit ramps that were spaced too closely together.” – Rhode Island Department of Transportation Spokesman Charles St. Martin (The Providence Journal, 01/17/2025) 

Photo Credit: RIDOT