RIDOT to Make Improvements to Congested Newport Intersections

With the summer season is approaching, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has been focused on making roadways safer for Ocean State motorists by investing $10 million in several safety enhancements, with additional improvements planned for the future.

The Department plans on making improvements to overly-congested intersections on Aquidneck Island, including the America’s Cup Avenue and Memorial Boulevard corridors in downtown Newport, and the conversion of Coddington Highway in Middletown from a four lane roadway to a three lane (one lane in each direction and a center-turn lane) roadway with dedicated bike lanes. These improvements are slated to begin this summer.

RIDOT has also installed enhanced signing, striping and in-road reflective markings to assist drivers to better navigate the roadway along I-95 at the Thurbers Avenue curve in Providence, and the Pawtucket “S” curve and Lonsdale Avenue in Pawtucket.  It also installed thousands of roadside reflectors throughout the State to supplement existing pavement markings and signing and to particularly assist drivers in dark or inclement weather.

Cable guardrail will be installed along narrow medians on the Interstate where none previously existed. This safety feature significantly reduces the occurrence of head-on impacts with opposing traffic. In addition, RIDOT will also make improvements to rural roads by adding rumble strips, signing and roadside reflectors to help reduce road departure crashes. These projects should also be under construction this summer.

“We are dedicated to ensuring the safety of the motoring public on the State’s highway system,” said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis. “Not only do we encourage good driving habits, such as obeying the speed limit and buckling up, but we are also making an effort to provide better and safer roadways through low cost, high benefit projects.”