On Friday night, Nov. 13, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is scheduled to close the on-ramp from North Broadway to the Henderson Expressway, toward the Henderson Bridge, in East Providence.

The ramp, per a DOT press release, is being decommissioned as part of a project to reconstruct the Henderson Expressway and transform it into a boulevard-style city roadway, between North Broadway and the Henderson Bridge.

The project includes demolition of the North Broadway Bridge over the ramp, removal of the ramps and associated traffic signals and construction of a roundabout to reconnect North Broadway to the old expressway toward the bridge. The construction will take two full construction seasons, with the improvements scheduled to open by spring 2029.

During the construction, RIDOT will establish signed detours to guide travelers between North Broadway and the Henderson Bridge. They are as follows:

• North Broadway northbound toward Rumford: Go past the closed ramp about ¼ mile to the next traffic signal. Turn left onto Massasoit Avenue and follow to the roundabout at the Henderson Bridge.
• North Broadway southbound toward Waterman Avenue and Taunton Avenue: Go past the closed ramp. In about ½ mile stay right at the split toward Waterman Avenue. Follow Waterman Avenue to the merge with Massasoit Avenue, which connects to the roundabout at the Henderson Bridge.

A detour map (included at the top of this article) highlighting these two routes is also available in higher resolution at www.ridot.net/DetourMaps.

The Henderson Expressway was originally constructed as a piece of a future limited access highway that was never built out, using a series of ramps to connect it to local traffic and the Henderson Bridge toward Providence.

As there are no plans to extend the expressway, RIDOT sought and received a $25 million federal RAISE grant for its reconstruction. In addition to the improvements to the expressway itself, the $39.9 million project also includes new sidewalks, landscaping and two overlooks on the Henderson Bridge.

Also part of this project are much-needed improvements along a section of Pawtucket Avenue from Warren Avenue to Marietta Drive, including paving and a rebuilt intersection at Waterman Avenue with dedicated left turn lanes. The paving is set to be completed by fall 2027 and the entire project done in spring 2029.

All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.