Local
I-195 Reopens After Overnight Demolition of Potter Street Bridge in East Providence
Crews tore down the Potter Street Bridge over I-195 overnight as part of the Washington Bridge rebuild, closing the highway in both directions and causing Saturday morning delays. Rain slowed cleanup, pushing the full reopening past noon, but RIDOT says no more full closures are planned for the project.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. â Interstate 195 reopened in both directions Saturday afternoon after an overnight demolition of the Potter Street Bridge, a key step in the state's Washington Bridge rebuild project.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation had aimed to open one lane in each direction around 10 a.m., but heavy rain complicated cleanup and the highway did not fully reopen until just after noon. The full closure, which began overnight, also caused delays on East Providence streets Saturday morning.
RIDOT Interim Director Robert Rocchio said the rain did not affect the demolition itself but made cleanup slower and more difficult.
"The rain mixed with the crushed concrete, creating a little bit of a sticky, slick surface," Rocchio said.
Rocchio said the full closure allowed crews to complete the demolition at once rather than disrupting traffic with lane closures over several months.
The Potter Street Bridge was the only bridge over I-195 that needed to be removed for the project. The nearby Purchase Street Bridge will remain in place; Rocchio said it is wide enough, and the department is adding two lanes just west of it.
"These two other bridges adjacent are fine," he said.
RIDOT does not anticipate any more full closures for the project, though drivers should expect separate overnight lane closures. A new Potter Street Bridge is expected to open in summer 2028.
The demolition is part of the broader effort to replace the Washington Bridge, a project that has reshaped traffic patterns and drawn intense public scrutiny in the Providence area. For East Providence residents and commuters who rely on I-195, the weekend closure was a reminder of how deeply the rebuild affects daily travel â and of the years of construction still ahead.