The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) early Friday morning opened two bypass lanes for I-195 West traffic from East Providence to Providence. This temporary traffic pattern will allow two lanes of travel westbound and two lanes of travel eastbound – all operating on the eastbound Washington Bridge. Governor Dan McKee and RIDOT Director Peter Alviti joined WPRO’s Gene Valicenti Friday morning to discuss. LISTEN BELOW:

RIDOT will reopen most ramps that had been closed. However, the Gano Street off-ramp (Exit 1D) will remain closed as will the on-ramps to I-195 West from Veterans Memorial Parkway and Taunton Avenue. RIDOT will continue to maintain passage on the westbound bridge for emergency vehicles only.

With the bypass lane opens, RIDOT expects it will help alleviate congestion but there will still be delays. Motorists may continue to find one detour route or the other more effective for them. As traffic becomes accustomed to the change with the bypass lanes open, RIDOT expects congestion levels to even out and create more predictable traffic flow and travel times.

RIDOT has posted estimated travel times for each detour route on the Washington Bridge closure page at www.ridot.net/WashingtonBridgeClosure and will update this information continuously.

The following recommended detours and alternate routes may be used:

Local traffic in East Providence: Use the Henderson Bridge and rejoin I-195 West at Gano Street.

Southeast Massachusetts west of Fall River, MA: Take Massachusetts Exit 1 and follow Route 114A to Route 44 West. Follow onto Route 114 (Pawtucket Avenue) or Route 1A (Newport Avenue) to I-95. This is the preferred routes for trucks.

Southeast Massachusetts east of Fall River, MA (including traffic coming from Cape Cod and the New Bedford Area): Take Massachusetts Exit 14B to Route 24 North. Follow to I-495 North to I-95.

The Washington Bridge carries 96,000 vehicles daily.