Route 102 (Rhode Island)

Route 102 (Rhode Island) is a 20.0-mile (32.2 km) north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It traverses rural and suburban landscapes, connecting several towns in Kent and Providence counties. The route serves as a vital secondary corridor between the Washington County area and the Blackstone Valley region.

Route description

Beginning at an intersection with Route 2 in the western part of Coventry, Route 102 heads northward, passing near the Coventry Town Hall and the Paine House. It continues through the village of Greene, where it crosses the Pawtuxet River, before entering the town of West Greenwich. The highway runs concurrently with Route 3 for a brief stretch near the West Greenwich Town Hall. Proceeding north, it enters Exeter, skirting the western edge of the Arcadia Management Area, a large state forest. The route then crosses into Richmond, passing near the Richmond Town Hall and the historic Richmond Country Club. In the village of Wyoming, it intersects Route 138. Route 102 continues north into Hopkinton, where it briefly runs alongside the Pawcatuck River and meets Route 3 again. Entering Burrillville, the road passes near the Spring Lake Beach area and the Burrillville Town Hall. Its northern terminus is at a junction with Route 146 in North Smithfield, just south of the Massachusetts state line.

History

The alignment of modern Route 102 follows paths of several historic turnpikes and local roads established in the 19th century. Much of its southern portion was part of the Hartford and Providence Turnpike, chartered in the early 1800s to improve travel between Connecticut and Providence. The route was designated as part of the state highway system in the 1920s following the passage of the Good Roads Movement. Significant realignments occurred in the mid-20th century, particularly in Exeter and Burrillville, to bypass town centers and improve traffic flow. The northern terminus was moved to its current location at Route 146 following the construction of that limited-access highway in the 1970s and 1980s.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Providence County and Kent County.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Coventry | 0.0 | 0.0 | (Nooseneck Hill Road) | Southern terminus |- | West Greenwich | 4.2 | 6.8 | south (Division Street) | Southern end of concurrency with RI 3 |- | | 4.8 | 7.7 | north (Victory Highway) | Northern end of concurrency with RI 3 |- | Richmond | 10.5 | 16.9 | (Carolina Nooseneck Road) | Intersection in Wyoming village |- | Hopkinton | 13.1 | 21.1 | (Main Street) |- | North Smithfield | 20.0 | 32.2 | (George Washington Highway) | Northern terminus; interchange |}

Auxiliary routes

Route 102 has one signed auxiliary route, designated Route 102A. This short spur, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, branches from the main route in Burrillville near the Spring Lake Beach area. It provides a more direct connection to the village of Harrisville, home to the Burrillville Town Hall and the Jesse M. Smith Memorial Library, before reconnecting with Route 102 north of the village center. This route was established in the 1950s to alleviate truck traffic through the historic Harrisville Mill District.

Category:Transportation in Rhode Island Category:State highways in Rhode Island