I-95, 6/10 lanes closed overnight this weekend

On By Vaseline

PROVIDENCE – Crews will close lanes on Interstate 95 North tonight and divert traffic from Route 6/10 toward I-95 this weekend.

The move will create work zones to facilitate construction of median barriers to separate I-95 from the adjacent service route that will relieve traffic on Route 146.

The closures will take place on Friday and Saturday evenings (May 3-4), from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m

The crews are moving all lanes on the service road from exit 38 to the right, but keeping the same number of lanes.

According to a press release from the Department of Transportation, traffic patterns will remain this way until late fall.

Traffic on route 6/10 will be diverted to the Atwells entrance

Traffic coming from Route 6/10 East and Memorial Boulevard/Route 6 West will be diverted to the I-95 on-ramp at Atwells Avenue.

Lane closures may occur between Broadway and Branch Avenue

Crews may close lanes on I-95 North between the Broadway exit (exit 37A) and the Branch Avenue exit (exit 39A)

Why is there a service road?

Shifting the service road to the right is part of the redesign of the I-95 Viaduct project.

The idea is to separate traffic headed to Route 146 from through traffic on I-95 to a service road that collects traffic from I-95 toward Route 146, Route 6/10 and the downtown entrance.

The service road, also known as a collector-distribution road, allows drivers to go to Route 146, return to I-95 North or use the State Offices exit. It should reduce congestion on I-95 North by diverting all the traffic dodging, weaving and position-seeking to get onto the two exits onto a separate road.

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Rany reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter.