Route 6/10 Connector changes two days sooner than scheduled

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced a change in its schedule for implementing a new traffic pattern as part of the 6/10 Interchange Project. Due to adverse weather forecast later in the week, the shift took place on Wednesday, December 19, two days earlier than originally scheduled.

RIDOT will be moving the split of Routes 6 and 10 approximately one-half mile to the north of its current location. This means drivers will encounter it sooner than they are accustomed to. This change needs to take place now so demolition of old road and bridge sections can continue through the winter months.

The change only affects traffic using the Route 6/10 Connector Outbound, leaving Providence and heading south toward Cranston or west toward Johnston. Today the lanes split just after the Tobey Street/Harris Avenue on-ramp.

The new traffic pattern moves the split to the area of the Atwells Avenue overpass. Drivers will need to move into the appropriate lanes earlier so they can use the left lanes for Route 10 South or the right lanes for Route 6 West. No lanes will be closed on the Route 6/10 Connector and inbound traffic from Cranston and Johnston will not be affected by this change.

Traffic from the Tobey Street/Harris Avenue ramp to the Route 6/10 Connector Outbound will enter the highway after the split, and not have direct access to Route 10 South. They will need to proceed onto Route 6 West and use the Hartford Avenue exit to reverse direction on Route 6 East to Route 10 South.

RIDOT encourages drivers to plan additional travel time, particularly those using the Tobey Street/Harris Avenue ramp. Delays are likely.

These changes will allow for another shift of highway traffic, with a portion of Route 10 South relocated to a portion of Route 10 North that was closed last month in an earlier traffic pattern change.

Combined, all the traffic pattern changes RIDOT has made this fall will provide a work zone in the center of the interchange to allow construction to begin on various elements of the new interchange. This work includes:

• Demolition of portions of five bridges – Harford Avenue, Plainfield Street, Broadway, Westminster Street and the Huntington Viaduct.

• Constructing footings for the new Broadway and Westminster Street bridges, the Huntington Viaduct and the new flyover bridge to allow traffic to make the “missing move” from Route 10 North to Route 6 West.

• Partial demolition of the elevated portion of Routes 6/10 This change of the Route 6/10 split will be in effect for 24 months. All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change.