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| I‑195 relocation | |
|---|---|
| Name | I‑195 relocation |
| Type | Infrastructure project |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island; Interstate 195 (Rhode Island) |
| Status | Completed |
| Start | 2008 |
| Completion | 2023 |
| Owner | Rhode Island Department of Transportation |
| Cost | $840 million |
| Partners | State of Rhode Island, City of Providence, Federal Highway Administration, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 |
I‑195 relocation is the multi‑year transportation and urban redevelopment project that removed the elevated portion of Interstate 195 (Rhode Island) through downtown Providence, Rhode Island, relocated the highway to a new corridor, reconnected urban blocks, and opened land for mixed‑use development. The program involved coordination among the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the City of Providence, private developers, and community organizations, linking a complex history of mid‑20th‑century urban renewal, federal highway policy, and 21st‑century place‑making initiatives.
The original elevated spur of Interstate 195 (Rhode Island) was constructed during the post‑Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 era, a period characterized by projects like the Inner Belt (Boston) proposals and the Pennsylvania Turnpike expansions. The elevated viaduct severed the Fox Point waterfront, bisected historic neighborhoods such as South Providence and Jewelry District, Providence, and contrasted with preservation efforts exemplified by the Providence Preservation Society and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Influential planners and policymakers from entities like the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and regional agencies weighed competing priorities alongside precedent cases including the Big Dig in Boston and the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement in Seattle.
Advocates for relocating the elevated spur cited examples from the High Line (New York City), the Cheonggyecheon restoration in Seoul, and the transformation of the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco to justify urban reconnection. Goals included improving access to Providence landmarks such as Woonsocket, revitalizing the Providence River waterfront, enabling projects like the Wexford Innovation District and expansions by institutions like Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, and healthcare centers including Rhode Island Hospital. Federal criteria from the Federal Highway Administration and environmental compliance regimes like the National Environmental Policy Act framed the decision alongside economic incentives from programs similar to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Planning drew upon design practices from the Urban Land Institute, transportation engineering standards from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and consultants with experience from projects such as the Denver Trolley relocations and the Los Angeles River revitalization. Stakeholders included the City of Providence, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, community groups like the Jewelry District Association, regional authorities including the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, and federal bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency. Design work addressed multimodal integration with the Providence Station rail hub, bicycle infrastructure modeled on Copenhagenize principles, and open spaces informed by examples like Millennium Park in Chicago and Battery Park City in New York City.
Construction was overseen by contractors experienced with major urban highway projects, drawing lessons from the construction sequencing used on the Big Dig and the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge replacement. Phased implementation minimized disruption to freight routes serving the Port of Providence and connections to the I‑95 corridor and the Massachusetts Turnpike. Coordination involved utility relocations with companies analogous to National Grid (United States) and transit schedules for agencies like MBTA and Amtrak related services at Providence Station. Public‑private partnerships paralleled arrangements seen with the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn and the Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco.
Environmental review processes considered precedents including Superfund cleanup sites, river restoration projects like the Los Angeles River, and waterfront remediation techniques used on the Hudson River. Impacts on neighborhoods such as Fox Point, South Providence, and the Jewelry District, Providence were evaluated alongside mitigation measures seen in projects involving the National Park Service and municipal planners from New York City and Chicago. Community engagement mirrored outreach models from the Public Interest Research Groups and civic groups like Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance. Green infrastructure and open space programming took cues from the High Line and The 606 in Chicago, while environmental monitoring referenced standards from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
The funding mix combined state appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly, federal grants administered by the Federal Highway Administration, bonds underwritten in part by municipal issuers, and economic development incentives comparable to tax increment financing used in Baltimore and Chicago. The headline cost was approximately $840 million, with economic development projections referencing models from the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute analyses. Developers—some organized like the Wexford Science & Technology model—planned mixed‑use projects, drawing parallels to the economic impacts seen in redevelopment around South Station (Boston) and Battery Park City.
Public reception mixed praise from preservationists associated with the Providence Preservation Society and urbanists influenced by thinkers at Project for Public Spaces with criticism from local activists and labor groups, similar to debates that surrounded the Big Dig and the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement. Legal challenges touched permitting processes under the National Environmental Policy Act and state statutes, echoing litigation patterns involving the Federal Highway Administration in other cities. Discussions over eminent domain, developer negotiations, and affordable housing obligations echoed controversies seen in projects such as Atlantic Yards and redevelopment near Hudson Yards.
The project freed parcels for development, catalyzing proposals by institutions like Brown University and private entities modeled on Catalyst Projects and innovation districts seen in Kendall Square and Research Triangle Park. Urbanists and policymakers from organizations including the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Urban Land Institute cite the relocation as a case study alongside the High Line and the Embarcadero for reconnecting urban fabric and waterfront access. Future phases involve zoning updates by the City of Providence and continued coordination with state agencies such as the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and regional bodies comparable to the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Providence metropolitan area.
Category:Transportation in Providence, Rhode Island Category:Highway relocation projects