Beginning Friday night, June 20, at 10 p.m., the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will initiate a temporary extended weekend closure of Newell Bridge in Cumberland. This closure is for the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge, which carries Diamond Hill Road (Route 114) over the East Sneech Brook near the Bentley Field Complex. The closure will last through the weekend, with all lanes reopening on the new bridge structure by 5 a.m. Monday morning, June 23.
RIDOT is employing accelerated bridge construction methods to demolish and replace 80 percent of the old bridge. This includes using prefabricated bridge units for quick reconstruction. RIDOT advises drivers to consider alternate routes based on their origin and destination and to allow additional travel time. A signed detour route will be established with trailblazing signs to guide motorists via Nate Whipple Highway, Mendon Road (Route 122), West Wrentham Road, and Pine Swamp Road. A detour map is available at www.ridot.net/DetourMaps.
Throughout the summer, RIDOT will relocate above and underground utilities before completing work on the bridge. A second extended weekend closure is anticipated in late fall to demolish and replace the remaining 20 percent of the bridge and perform final paving.
As part of this project, RIDOT also plans to resurface Sneech Pond Road from Nate Whipple Highway to Little Pond Road, and from Anna Mac Drive to Nate Whipple Highway. This resurfacing will involve overnight lane closures on Sneech Pond Road, likely occurring in late summer. Detailed lane closure information will be posted as it is scheduled at www.ridot.net/TravelAdvisories.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
Information from this article can be found here.
