I-395 (Alfred E. Besson Expressway)

I-395 (Alfred E. Besson Expressway)
Name	Alfred E. Besson Expressway
Designation	Interstate 395
Length mi	14.2
Established	1976
Terminus a	Downtown Providence, Rhode Island
Terminus b	Connecticut state line
Counties	Providence County, Windham County

I-395 (Alfred E. Besson Expressway) is an Interstate Highway serving parts of Providence, Rhode Island, Worcester, Massachusetts region, and the Connecticut border, functioning as a regional connector between Interstate 95, Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike), and local arterial routes such as U.S. Route 6. The expressway facilitates movement among urban centers including Providence, Worcester, Hartford, and Springfield, Massachusetts, and links industrial corridors near Pawtucket, Attleboro, and Norwich. It is named for Alfred E. Besson, a former state transportation official associated with planning initiatives during the mid-20th century.

Route description

I-395 begins at a junction with Interstate 95 near downtown Providence, Rhode Island and proceeds northwest through a mix of commercial districts adjacent to Providence River and the Woonasquatucket River. The route traverses the industrial neighborhoods near Pawtucket and crosses into Massachusetts near Worcester County, intersecting with U.S. Route 6 and providing access to the Massachusetts Turnpike via connectors serving Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike). Continuing north, the expressway skirts suburban edges of Worcester and serves commuter flows to Springfield, Massachusetts before reaching the Connecticut state line and transitioning toward links with Interstate 84 and regional arterials leading to Hartford. The corridor passes proximate to landmarks and institutions such as Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University, Tufts University, Clark University, and other urban nodes that generate daily traffic. Adjacent municipalities served include Cranston, Lincoln, Rhode Island, Blackstone, Massachusetts, and Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

History

Planning for the I-395 corridor dates to the Federal-Aid Highway Act era and involved coordination among agencies including the Federal Highway Administration, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Early proposals intended the route to relieve congestion on U.S. Route 1 and to provide a high-capacity link between Interstate 95 and western New England. Construction phases in the 1960s and 1970s followed designs influenced by contemporaneous projects such as Interstate 95 (New England) expansions and were shaped by advocacy from regional figures and organizations like the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts Highway Association. The expressway was formally dedicated under the Alfred E. Besson name in a ceremony attended by state legislators and transportation officials. Subsequent decades saw incremental upgrades reacting to traffic growth tied to economic shifts in Providence, deindustrialization in Worcester County, and suburbanization trends affecting Hartford-area commuting.

Exit list

The exit sequence on I-395 includes interchanges providing access to major routes and localities: the southern terminus at Interstate 95 (signposted for Providence and Wickford), exits for U.S. Route 6 (serving Cranston and Scituate), connections toward Route 146 (linking North Smithfield and Woonsocket), and multiple ramps serving Blackstone River valley communities such as Blackstone, Massachusetts and Worcester County towns. Further north, the expressway offers exits to regional collectors that feed Route 20, Route 122, and local municipal streets providing access to Sturbridge and points toward Interstate 84-bound corridors. Signage reflects intermodal nodes including park-and-ride lots near Commuter rail corridors and industrial access for freight movements to distribution centers serving Boston, New Haven, and New York City.

Traffic and usage

Traffic volumes on I-395 vary seasonally and diurnally, with peak commuter flows oriented toward Providence and Worcester employment centers during weekday mornings and evenings. Freight traffic includes trucks serving manufacturing and logistics hubs in Pawtucket, Attleboro, and the Quonset Point industrial area, linking with interstate freight routes to Interstate 95 and Interstate 84. Corridor usage statistics compiled by state transportation agencies indicate growth tied to regional economic activity in sectors represented by institutions such as Brown University, University of Massachusetts Medical School, and healthcare systems in Hartford. Incident patterns reflect congestion hotspots at major interchanges, and seasonal tourism increases associated with attractions accessible from I-395 such as Wachusett Mountain and historical sites in Old Sturbridge Village.

Construction and improvements

Major construction phases have included pavement rehabilitation projects funded through programs associated with the Federal Highway Administration and state capital plans managed by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Improvements have targeted bridge replacements over waterways like the Blackstone River and structural retrofits to meet modern seismic and load-bearing standards influenced by guidance from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Capacity enhancements included auxiliary lanes, redesigned interchanges near Worcester to improve movements to Interstate 90, and upgrades to drainage and lighting systems. Recent projects emphasized multimodal integration with park-and-ride expansions to interface with MBTA Commuter Rail services and bus rapid transit proposals supported by metropolitan planning organizations such as the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission.

Impact and controversies

I-395’s construction and expansions prompted debates among civic groups, municipal governments, and preservation organizations including the Providence Preservation Society and regional environmental advocates tied to the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. Controversies centered on displacement in urban neighborhoods near Pawtucket, habitat impacts along the Blackstone River corridor, and allocation of federal funds during competing infrastructure priorities advocated by entities such as the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Conference. Environmental impact assessments and mitigation measures involved agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and state historic preservation offices to address concerns related to archaeological sites and community cohesion. Ongoing discussions weigh future widening or tolling proposals against investments in public transit championed by organizations including the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District.

Category:Interstate Highways Category:Transportation in Rhode Island Category:Transportation in Massachusetts