Work toward new Washington Bridge traffic pattern begins

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will begin designing and ordering needed materials before starting construction to move the bypass lanes in East Providence.

Both east and westbound traffic will have two ten-foot lanes and one eleven-foot lane for trucks.

“Vehicles will be crossing over the westbound direction will be crossing over to the eastbound lane a little bit earlier than they are now, about 3000 feet west from where they’re crossing right now,” said RIDOT Director Peter Alviti. “But there’ll be an additional lane or a 50 percent increase in both directions in both eastbound and westbound.”

The process to construct the new traffic pattern is expected to take about eight weeks.

Once these new patterns are implemented, the speed limit will be reduced to 40 mph and trucks will be restricted to the far right lane due to the narrowing of lanes.