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August 1, 2006

I-195 bridge will sail up Bay to final home this month

PROVIDENCE – The new Providence River Bridge is expected to sail up Narragansett Bay and into Providence on Aug. 23, as long as the weather is right.

The state Department of Transportation today announced plans for bringing what they call the “signature structure” for the Interstate 195 relocation project to the capital city.

It should be quite a sight. The DOT is recommending several public viewing areas: Conimicut Point Park in Warwick, Colt State Park in Bristol and Crescent Park or the East Bay Bike Path Overlook, both in East Providence.

State engineers plan to haul the structure from Quonset Point/Davisville in North Kingstown up Narragansett Bay using two barges. The center part of the bridge, which was largely assembled in Quonset, is 164 feet wide, 400 feet long and 80 feet high.

The DOT will hold a kickoff press event on Aug. 11 and begin moving the bridge into place on Aug. 12. As long as water and wind conditions are right, the bridge will then leave Quonset around 5 or 6 a.m. on Aug. 23 and travel five to six hours into Providence, according to spokeswoman Heidi Cote.

“We are truly excited to see an engineering marvel of this magnitude travel up Narragansett Bay and hope that all Rhode Islanders will have the opportunity to share in this excitement as well,” said RIDOT Director James R. Capaldi in a news release today.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:37 PM | Permalink

August 1, 2006

I-195 bridge will sail up Bay to final home this month

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