PORTSMOUTH — The high-impact storm that hit the area Thursday night forced the R.I. Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to block off a section of Park Avenue until further notice due to flooding Friday morning.

Motorists have been asked to avoid Park Avenue, which is being blocked at Aquidneck Avenue, Boyd’s Lane at Norseman Drive, and at Schultzy’s Snack Shack. Drivers are asked to use the Hummocks end of Park Avenue to access the neighborhood.

Flo’s Drive-In clam shack was surrounded by water on all sides.

Several front yards of homes in the low-lying area of the lower Hummocks were flooded Friday morning, as was most of the area below the Sakonnet River Bridge on the Portsmouth side.  

A section of the south end of Cliff Avenue was also completely covered in water, due to a breach on the beachside.

Due to the high winds, the R.I. Turnpike and Bridge Authority placed a travel restriction on the Mt. Hope Bridge for house trailers/RVs and empty enclosed trailers Friday morning, and permitted only automobiles, pickup trucks, flatbed trailers, and commercial buses to cross the Newport Pell and Jamestown bridges.

All travel restrictions were lifted by 9:30 a.m.

Because of rapidly falling temperatures expected late Friday afternoon and evening, RIDOT is urging motorists to reduce their speed and drive cautiously as roadway surfaces freeze.

RIDOT will be pre-treating roads as soon as rainfall ceases today, ahead of the drop in temperatures. The high winds may assist in drying the roads, however, any roads that do not dry out prior to the temperature drop will become icy. The Department will continue to apply salt materials, but after nightfall and during very low temperatures, the salt will be less effective and drivers should expect to encounter black ice areas.

These conditions may persist into the morning hours. During daylight on Saturday, the de-icing materials will be more effective to return the roads back to normal conditions.

The storm brought sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph, with gusts of 50 to 55 mph.