| Description |
Iway is comprised of 16 individual projects to relocate a 45-year-old 1.6-mile stretch of I-195 and an adjacent 0.8-mile portion of I-95 through Providence. The highway is being relocated 2,000 feet to the south of its current alignment and outside the barrier which protects the 350-year-old city from hurricane flooding. The project includes 14 new bridges with a 1,200-foot, 8-lane mainline bridge over the Providence River, 25 lane-miles of new interstate, a new interchange with I-95, five miles of new city streets, and 4,100 feet of new pedestrian river walks. In addition, removal of the existing interstate will free up 20 acres of prime downtown real estate.
The mainline Iway Bridge (Providence River Bridge) has garnered national attention for its construction innovation. The bridge was largely constructed offsite to avoid more complicated barge-based construction and to allow simultaneous construction of its concrete foundation. The bridge was floated 12 miles into place in August 2006. |