New on-ramp Point Street to I-95 South

On November 18, 2010, RIDOT will open a new on-ramp to I-95 South from from the area of Point Street and West Franklin Road. The ramp replaces the former Broad Street on-ramp to I-95 South, which RIDOT closed in 2008 due to Iway construction.

On November 22, four days after opening this new ramp to I-95 South, RIDOT will close the temporary on-ramp from Blackstone Street, off Allens Avenue, to I-95 South. The Department built this ramp to provide additional access to I-95 back in 2008 when it closed the Broad Street ramp. This ramp was always intended to be temporary, and is considered substandard due to a very short merge when the end of the ramp meets I-95.

The ramp is another step in a series of road, exit and on-ramp openings in the Point Street area this fall. In October, RIDOT opened a new on-ramp from I-95 North from Point Street and made numerous changes to city streets to establish a one-way traffic circulator along the I-95 corridor. Last year, the Department opened exits from I-95 North to Point Street and I-195 West to Point Street.

All these changes in the Point Street area will work together to improve highway access to and from The Jewelry District, Downcity, the West End and South Providence areas. The highway on and off-ramps also help replace highway access to parts of the city that had direct highway access to the old I-195.