Local
Route 138 Bridge Work at Kingston Station to Shift Traffic for a Year Starting Nov. 20
RIDOT will begin replacing the Kingston Station Railroad Bridge on Nov. 20, shifting Route 138 traffic to the north side of the span for a year as part of an $82.3 million corridor project expected to finish by the end of 2028.
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. â Drivers who use Route 138 near Kingston Station should prepare for a year of altered traffic patterns beginning Nov. 20, when the Rhode Island Department of Transportation starts replacing the railroad bridge that carries Kingstown Road over the Amtrak and RIPTA tracks.
The change will take effect at Kingstown Road and Railroad Avenue, the access road to the station, which serves both Amtrak and RIPTA riders. Construction will shift to the north side of the bridge while the other side is demolished and rebuilt, according to RIDOT.
That configuration is expected to remain in place for about a year. After that, traffic will be shifted again so crews can demolish and replace the second half of the bridge. The full project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2028.
The bridge replacement is part of the broader Route 138 Corridor project, which also includes new sidewalks, upgraded traffic signals and road resurfacing. The overall price tag is $82.3 million.
RIDOT is directing drivers to detailed detour maps posted on its website under Detour Maps. The agency is reminding motorists to plan for the changes ahead of the Nov. 20 start date.
The work comes as the state continues to invest in the Route 138 corridor, a key east-west route through South Kingstown that links the University of Rhode Island area with the station and points west. For commuters and rail passengers, the bridge replacement means a prolonged period of construction near a critical transit hub, making the detour information especially important in the months ahead.