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September 6, 2006

DOT to open new lanes on Washington Bridge

PROVIDENCE -- In a milestone in a major bridge replacement project, traffic will be shifted to the new eastbound spans of the Washington Bridge tomorrow night, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The $42-million replacement was forced by the discovery of deteriorated concrete scattered through the 75-year-old bridge. The DOT has avoided closing the bridge by building the new structure as the old one is being demolished.

The DOT said it will keep four lanes open on the bridge to carry the 90,000 vehicles that cross it each day.

However, Exit 4 eastbound will be closed for 22 days while the DOT builds a temporary ramp connecting the new bridge to the existing Exit 4 ramp, leading to Taunton Avenue and Veterans Parkway in East Providence.

The DOT has planned detours to adjust for the closed ramp, and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority said it will reroute one bus, the 33 (Riverside) line, for the same reason.

Read more about the project in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com.

-- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 7:00 PM | Permalink

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