Starting on December 17, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will implement a lane shift on Route 37 West in Cranston. This adjustment, postponed from December 12 due to weather, is part of the ongoing Oaklawn Avenue Bridge replacement project. The shift will occur between the Route 2 and I-295 interchanges to facilitate continued phased demolition and reconstruction of the bridge.
The current traffic pattern will remain unchanged with one lane for Route 37 West through traffic and another for I-295 North traffic. Route 37 East will not be affected by this change. RIDOT has already completed work on the northern half of the bridge, and this phase focuses on the middle section. The southern half is scheduled for next year.
This bridge reconstruction is part of a larger $142.8 million initiative to improve six bridges along Route 37, addressing safety concerns across the highway. As a crucial east-west freeway in central Rhode Island, Route 37 connects Cranston and Warwick, major commercial areas, interstate highways, and T.F. Green International Airport. It handles about 42,000 vehicles daily.
The Oaklawn Avenue Bridge rehabilitation is supported by RhodeWorks as part of RIDOT’s commitment to improving infrastructure while considering environmental impacts. For more information about these projects, visit www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.
Information from this article can be found here.
