Travel Advisory: New Ramp Opening Tomorrow Morning on Route 1 at Route 138 in North Kingstown

RHODE ISLAND, April 18 - The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will need to temporarily close two ramps within the Route 1 and Route 138 interchange in North Kingstown on Friday night, April 18 at 9 p.m. prior to opening a new one on Saturday morning, April 19.

The ramps from Route 138 West to Route 1 (Tower Hill Road) South, and Route 1 North to Route 138 West, will be closed prior to a traffic shift, Friday night, April 18, starting at 9 p.m. During the closures, motorists are advised to follow the signed detours.

Upon completion by 6 a.m. Saturday morning, April 19, drivers will access this new permanent ramp from Route 138 West to Route 1 South through a left-hand exit rather than the current right-hand exit, which will be eliminated. This change was made so Route 1 South can operate with less congestion and improved safety by eliminating a short weave caused by ramps that were spaced too closely together at the bridge.

This new ramp and the upcoming bridge replacements are part of a larger $35.8 million project that included repaving two long sections of Route 1. The first segment was done last year, from Shermantown Road in North Kingstown to the Stedman Government Center in South Kingstown. The second segment will be done after the bridge installation, from Shermantown Road to the Route 4 interchange.

All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.

Additional information and detour maps for the upcoming bridge replacements are available at www.ridot.net/TowerHill.