Interstate 95 in Rhode Island

:"Route 84 (Rhode Island) redirects here. For the once-planned Interstate Highway, see Interstate 84 (Rhode Island)."Infobox RI Route
type=Interstate
route=95
length_mi=43.3 [http://www.edc.uri.edu/rigis-spf/statewide/state.html#transportation RIGIS data - "Roads - Primary" and "Roads - State"] ]
length_km=69.7
formed=1957
dir1=South
dir2=North
from=
junction=
to=
previous_type=
previous_route=94
next_type=
next_route=96
Interstate 95, the main north-south Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, runs generally southwest-northeast through the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It runs from the border with Connecticut near Westerly through Warwick and Providence and to the Massachusetts state line in Pawtucket. It has two auxiliary routes, both of which enter Massachusetts - Interstate 195, a spur from Providence east to Cape Cod, and Interstate 295, a western bypass of the Providence-Pawtucket area.

South of Warwick, I-95 does not follow U.S. Route 1, which it generally replaced in New England. It instead takes a shorter inland route, parallel to Route 3. Route 3 was designated Route 1A, a New England Interstate Route, in 1922, but has never been a U.S. Route.

History

outhern Rhode Island: Relocated Route 3, Route 84 and Route 95

Prior to any part of Interstate 95 being built, the diagonal corridor of Route 3 was already a well-traveled shortcut to the older U.S. Route 1. In the 1930s, a further cutoff was built in southeastern Connecticut and southwestern Rhode Island, joining Old Mystic, Connecticut to Route 3 in Hopkinton, Rhode Island. The existing Route 84 in Connecticut was rerouted to use the new road (now Route 184), and the short piece in Rhode Island was also numbered Route 84. [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/ctx180.html#d_184_route kurumi: Connecticut Route 184] ] (This alignment had been the Hopkinton and Richmond Turnpike - better known as the New London Turnpike - but had fallen into disrepair.) The right of way of New London turnpike goes though the Big river management area (as a dirt road), crosses division road as a four way with the North side of the turnpike paved, has an interchange with Interstate 95 (exit 7), continuies for 1.85 before multiplexing with Route 3 in West Warwick for a ¼ mile. New London Turnpike turns into New London Ave and continues straight for 2¼ before multiplexing with Providence street (RI-33). It follows Providence Street until it hits the Meshanticut Interchange

The first section of what is now I-95 was planned as an upgrade and relocation of Route 84 and Route 3 from the state line north of Westerly to existing Route 3 of Wyoming. The short Route 84 was widened to a four-lane divided road with one intersection at Gray Lane. Instead of merging with Route 3, it was modified to continue northeast, passing under Route 3 with a folded diamond interchange. The rest of the new road was designated Route 3 once it was completed on December 12, 1955. It was not built to freeway standards, only having interchanges at Route 3 in Hopkinton and Route 138 in Richmond (a cloverleaf), as well as a bridge over the Wood River and Mechanic Street. [http://www.bostonroads.com/roads/I-95_RI/ The Roads of Metro Boston - North-South Expressway] ] [http://www.edc.uri.edu/rigis-spf/statewide/state.html#raster RIGIS Digital Aerial Photography] ]

A section of freeway (known as the Kent County Freeway) opened in July 1958, running from Route 3 at Kitts Corner northeast across the Big River and east across Route 3 to Route 2 on the West Warwick-Warwick line. Its west end was a simple intersection with old Route 3, in which only northbound traffic could continue on the old road - southbound traffic had to enter the new freeway east of the Big River. The only two interchanges were with Route 3 east of the Big River (a diamond interchange) and with Route 2 at its east end (a four-ramp interchange providing half the ramps of a cloverleaf).Rhode Island Department of Transportation, Interstate Highway Opening Dates]

The Interstate 95 designation was approved on June 27, 1958. [ at that time.

Interstate 95 in Connecticut was finished December 12, 1964 to the Rhode Island state line, where it connected to the older Route 95 divided highway. [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/i95.html kurumi: Connecticut Interstate 95] ] The old road from the border to Gray Lane was combined with the frontage road built when Route 84 was upgraded to form what is now known as Extension 184. The portion from the Connecticut state line to Route 3 north of Wyoming was upgraded to a freeway with construction ending May 1968. To the north, that freeway was connected with the Kent County Freeway by a new section, opened November 22, 1969 as the last section of I-95 in Rhode Island. The connection to Route 3 at Kitts Corner was removed, and Route 3 was moved back to the old road over the Big River. Route 95 was renumbered Interstate 95, as the whole road was now a freeway.

An interchange with the New London Turnpike was added to the Kent County Freeway by 1972. In 1983, a new interchange with Hopkins Hill Road opened.

Providence area

Pawtucket area

Exit list

Rest Areas

*Welcome Center / Rest Area - MP 6 - Northbound only between Exits 2 and 3 - Tourist Info, Rest Rooms, Phones.
*Parking Areas - MP 10 - Northbound and Southbound between exits 4 and 5 - Parking area, pay phone. No other facilities.

The MP 10 parking areas also serve as Weigh Stations.

References