State warns of Route 95 lane shifts in Providence

PROVIDENCE — New lane shifts are coming to Route 95 starting next weekend, the state Department of Transportation has announced.

Beginning June 28, all southbound lanes between Exit 18 (Thurbers Avenue) and Route 195 will shift to the left. The current left-lane shift on the northbound lanes will remain in place. The DOT says it expects minor delays as a result. No exits or on-ramps will be closed.

Starting in mid-July, the DOT will introduce a split-lane configuration in the same area for both northbound and southbound traffic. The pattern will change every two weeks through the end of the summer.

The DOT says the lane splits may cause additional delays during rush hour. It advises that drivers using the Thurbers Avenue/Allens Avenue on-ramp, particularly trucks in and around the Port of Providence area, consider alternate routes during periods of heaviest traffic, particularly 7 to 9 a.m. weekdays.

The DOT also asks drivers not to stop as they approach the lane shifts, as this can cause crashes or unnecessary delays.

The traffic changes are meant to provide a safe work zone so the DOT can replace the deck on the Oxford Street bridge. They are being implemented in the summer because traffic volumes are usually lower than during other parts of the year. 

Additionally, the DOT announced that, beginning Sunday night, Exit 22 B/C will be closed to northbound traffic on Route 95 during the overnight hours.

The closures — which will allow workers to repair bridge joints and replace bridge railings — will be from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday through late July. Drivers will follow a detour from Exit 23.