Travel Advisory: Route 4 Overnight Detours Scheduled for Frenchtown Road Bridge Work in East Greenwich

Starting Monday night, April 6, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will temporarily detour traffic along a section of Route 4 to accommodate demolition and reconstruction of a portion of the Frenchtown Road Bridge in East Greenwich. RIDOT is completely replacing this bridge.

The work will be limited to evening and overnight hours, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., when traffic volumes are lowest to minimize the impact to travelers. RIDOT also needs to close Frenchtown Road (Route 402) over the bridge during this time. The schedule and suggested detours are as follows:

Route 4 South: Route 4 South closed Monday & Tuesday nights, April 6-7 beginning at I-95. The on-ramp from Division Street eastbound to Route 4 South will also be closed. All traffic coming from I-95 should use Exit 24A and follow South County Trail (Route 2) South to the on-ramp to Route 4 South near Clemmie's Ice Cream.

Route 4 North: Route 4 North will be closed Wednesday & Thursday nights, April 8-9 at Exit 5/South County Trail (Route 2). Traffic will turn left and follow South County Trail northbound, turn right onto Division Street, and use the on-ramp after the Showcase Cinemas for Route 4 North/I-95 North.

Frenchtown Road: Frenchtown in both directions will be closed Monday-Thursday nights, April 6-9 between Route 2 and Davisville Road. Local traffic will be permitted between Post Road (Route 1) and Davisville Road. Drivers coming from points north of Frenchtown Road should use Division Street and First Avenue in East Greenwich to travel between South County Trail and Post Road. Drivers coming from points south of Frenchtown Road should use Ten Rod Road (Route 102) to travel between South County Trail and Tower Hill Road/Post Road.

The closures for the week of April 6 are necessary for demolition work. In late April, RIDOT expects to repeat these closures for installation of new steel beams at the Frenchtown Road Bridge. The Department will announce the next schedule for closures in the near future.

RIDOT is using accelerated bridge construction methods to fully replace the Frenchtown Road Bridge by summer 2026. The work on this bridge is part of a larger, $76.8 million multi-bridge project that replaced the Devil's Foot Road Bridge over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and is currently replacing the bridge carrying Route 2 over Route 4. The entire project is scheduled for completion in Spring 2027.

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

Replacement of the Frenchtown Road Bridge is made possible by RhodeWorks. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island's infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.