Lane split at Washington Bridge coming to East Providence this weekend

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will make changes to the current lane split on Interstate 195 west in East Providence starting tonight.

The changes will begin at 8 p.m.

The new lane split will be located just after the lane drop from four lanes to three after the Broadway interchange, the department said.

The changes will affect the lane split that is just before the bridge and will feature one lane to the left and two lanes to the right.

Traffic coming onto the highway from the Veterans Memorial Parkway and Taunton Avenue on-ramps will not be affected, while drivers who wish to take exit 1C or 1D should keep to the right.

All lanes will continue towards Interstate 95.

Drivers should not slow down or suddenly change lanes at the split as this unsafe behavior will cause traffic delays and could lead to a crash, the department said.

The change is part of the $78 million Washington Bridge project, which aims to address the structural deficiencies of the westbound portion of the bridge.

The lane split will be in place until the fall and the project is expected to be completed in 2026.