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| Interstate 195 (Rhode Island) relocation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Interstate 195 relocation |
| State | Rhode Island |
| Route | 195 |
| Established | 2013 |
| Completed | 2019 |
| Length mi | 3.5 |
| Termini | Providence–Sakonnet River |
Interstate 195 (Rhode Island) relocation describes the project to remove the elevated section of Interstate 195 (Rhode Island) through Providence, Rhode Island and construct a new at-grade corridor, reconnecting urban fabric and creating the Iway (Boston)-era model for urban highway realignment. The relocation linked downtown Providence to South Providence and East Providence while enabling new development on reclaimed land previously occupied by the elevated structure. The project intersected with planning by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, coordination with Federal Highway Administration, and partnerships with local institutions such as Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, and the Providence Redevelopment Agency.
The relocated corridor begins at the interchange with Interstate 95 (Rhode Island), passes south of Fox Point and College Hill, traverses reclaimed land near the Providence River, and terminates at the Sakonnet River Bridge approach toward Newport, Rhode Island. Along the alignment the roadway links with arterial connections to Route 10 (Rhode Island), US Route 1 (Rhode Island), and the Newport Bridge, providing access to Wickenden Street, South Main Street (Providence), and the Providence Place Mall. The relocation created new parcels adjacent to Parade Street and the Woonasquatucket River trailheads, improving access to India Point Park and the Roger Williams National Memorial.
Early proposals to alter the elevated highway date to studies by the Urban Land Institute and advocacy by the Providence Preservation Society and Historic District Commission (Providence). In the late 20th century plans referenced reconstruction efforts modeled after the Big Dig in Boston and redevelopment projects in Baltimore and San Francisco. Political actors including Lincoln Chafee and Gina Raimondo supported coordinating state resources with federal programs administered by the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Community groups such as the Olneyville Neighborhood Association and the Woonasquatucket River Greenway Committee influenced design choices through public hearings.
The formal relocation proposal consolidated recommendations from studies by Parsons Brinckerhoff, Ayers Saint Gross, and consultants retained by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Stakeholders included the Providence City Council, State Senate (Rhode Island), Governor of Rhode Island, Economic Development Corporation (Rhode Island), and institutions such as Lifespan and Hasbro Children’s Hospital. The planning process integrated input from American Institute of Architects (AIA) Rhode Island, the Historic Preservation Society of Newport County, and transit agencies like the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. Environmental review was conducted under the regulations of the National Environmental Policy Act with oversight by the Environmental Protection Agency regional office.
Environmental assessments examined effects on the Providence River estuary, sediment disturbed near Narragansett Bay, and wetlands adjacent to the Seekonk Meadows. The project required coordination with the Coastal Resources Management Council, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Community impact mitigation measures were developed in collaboration with neighborhood organizations including the Southside Community Land Trust and the Olneyville Housing Corporation, and included funding for open space along Waterplace Park and expanded trails linking to the East Bay Bike Path and the Washington Secondary Rail Trail. Affordable housing advocates such as HousingWorks RI shaped land disposition and development covenants.
Financing drew on federal surface transportation grants administered by the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration, state bonds authorized by the Rhode Island General Assembly, and investment commitments from the Providence Economic Development Partnership. Legal matters involved property acquisition negotiations with entities including Amtrak and private landowners, use of eminent domain contested before the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and coordination with mortgage holders such as Bank of America on tax increment financing districts. The project also navigated historic preservation covenants enforced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Engineering firms including Bechtel Corporation and HNTB contributed design-build approaches, while contractors coordinated heavy civil works near the Providence Station rail corridor used by MBTA Providence/Stoughton Line and Amtrak Northeast Corridor services. Construction phases required traffic staging at the East Bay Tunnels and sequencing to maintain access to T.F. Green Airport via Interstate 95. Innovations included use of pre-cast concrete bridge elements, stormwater Best Management Practices informed by US Geological Survey data, and archaeological monitoring overseen by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission.
After completion, operations were overseen by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation in coordination with the Providence Parking Authority and Rhode Island Public Transit Authority to manage multimodal integration. The reclaimed parcels spurred development by private developers including Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse and research partnerships with Brown University School of Public Health and Rhode Island School of Design for urban design studies. The relocation is cited in planning curricula at MIT, Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Yale School of Architecture as a case study in urban highway removal, and it influenced policy discussions in the American Planning Association and the Congress for the New Urbanism about reconnecting waterfronts, remediating industrial sites, and prioritizing walkable neighborhoods.
Category:Transportation in Providence, Rhode Island Category:Interstate Highways in Rhode Island