May 12, 2016

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s (RIPTA) fixed-route fleet will no longer travel over the Exchange Street Bridge that crosses the Providence River (at Memorial Blvd.) due to the new weight limit reduction placed on the bridge by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT).  RIPTA will detour Route 55 (Admiral/Providence College) and the R-Line (Broad/North Main) beginning with the first trip on Friday, May 13, 2016 and this detour continue indefinitely. 

Route 55 (Admiral/Providence College) will detour as follows:

Inbound trips will travel the regular route to Canal Street, right onto Park Row West to the bus shelter at Providence Train Station, left onto Exchange Street, left onto Stillman Street, right onto Park Row West, right onto Canal Street, right onto Steeple Street, left onto Memorial Blvd., and then right onto Fulton Street. Trips will then continue to Bus Stop W via a right onto Dorrance Street, right onto Washington Street, and then left onto East Approach. 

Outbound trips will operate via East Approach, right onto Exchange Terrace, left onto Exchange Street, right onto Memorial Boulevard, left onto Washington Street, left onto North Main Street through to Charles Street and then resume regular route.  These trips WILL NOT ENTER PROVIDENCE TRAIN STATION. 

R-Line (Broad/North Main) will detour as follows:

Southbound R-Line trips will operate via regular route to Canal Street, right onto Park Row West to the bus shelter at Providence Train Station, left onto Exchange Street, left onto Stillman Street, right onto Park Row West, right onto Canal Street, right onto Steeple Street, left onto  Memorial Boulevard and then right onto Fulton Street. 

Northbound R-Line trips will operate via Washington Street, left onto Exchange Street, right onto Memorial Boulevard, left onto Washington Street, and then left onto North Main Street to regular route.  These trips WILL NOT ENTER PROVIDENCE TRAIN STATION.  A temporary R-Line stop will be added on Exchange Street near side Memorial Blvd., which will serve as the closest northbound stop to the station.