Rhode Island awarded $81M federal grant to create connection between I-95 and Quonset Business Park

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Congressional Delegation alongside Gov. Dan McKee announced that the Ocean State would be receiving $81 million to create a new connection from Interstate 95 to Quonset Business Park.

The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant will fund the link between I-95 and Route 4, as well as support the creation of three missing ramps to improve access for truck and freight operators approaching Quonset Business Park.

Map of Route 403 improvements. (RIDOT)

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation added that the project will “collectively reduce approximately 500 metric tons of greenhouse gases per year.”

The officials said the business park is home to more than 200 companies and 14,000 jobs, and is home to the state’s only publicly owned port, the Port of Davisville, one of the nation’s largest points of import of new automobiles.

They added that the new connection should “help keep industry freight traffic off of local roads, reducing congestion, noise, and pollution in residential neighborhoods, while creating more accessibility and growth opportunities for the industrial zone.”

“With over 14,000 jobs at more than 225 companies, Quonset is the leading engine of job creation and economic development in Rhode Island,” McKee said. “I’m grateful to our congressional delegation and the Biden Administration for securing this funding which will improve access and traffic flow to our Quonset Business Park, an economic hub supporting good-paying jobs that will help us raise per capita income across Rhode Island.”