AASHTO Journal - RIDOT Wraps I-95 Providence Viaduct Northbound Project

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation recently hosted an event to mark the completion of the $265 million I-95 Providence Viaduct Northbound Project.

[Above photo by RIDOT]

The nearly 1,300-foot-long viaduct – classified several years ago as structurally deficient and in need of a full replacement – carries more than 220,000 vehicles per day over numerous local roads and highway ramps, Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, and the Woonasquatucket River.

The agency added that it is one of the busiest sections of I-95 in Rhode Island and one of the most heavily trafficked highway bridges on the East Coast.

Thanks to the efforts of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation, RIDOT said it secured a $60.3 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America or INFRA grant to help fund the project and expand its scope.

In addition to replacing the viaduct, the project included repair or replacement of 10 other bridges, establishment of express lanes for I-95 North for through traffic, and the construction of a new service road along the right side of the interstate.

The service road, which initially opened in January 2024 and fully opened in June 2025, provided a positive impact on traffic congestion and travel times in the area by eliminating “weaving” conflicts from merging traffic and also helped ease congestion that plagued the segment of I-95 North from the 6/10 Connector, Atwells Avenue, and Downtown Providence on-ramps to the Route 146/State Offices interchange.

Peter Alviti, Jr. at podium. Photo by RIDOT.

“The completion of the I-95 Providence Viaduct Northbound Project is a major milestone for Rhode Island,” said Governor Dan McKee (D) in a statement.

“This investment strengthens one of the state’s most critical pieces of infrastructure, improves safety, and ensures this corridor will serve Rhode Islanders for decades to come,” he added.

“We are so grateful for the efforts of our congressional delegation in providing us the additional funds we needed to not only fix the viaduct but to fix all the bridges and highways in this area the right way, to take advantage of a major bridge replacement and eliminate a chronic congestion and safety issue for hundreds of thousands of drivers each day,” noted Peter Alviti, Jr., RIDOT’s director.