EAST PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation, save for a brief respite during the upcoming holiday season, issued the first of a regularly scheduled series of updates as the reconstruction of the Henderson Bridge connecting the city with the East Side of Providence begins.

RIDOT crews spent the last few weeks preparing the area in East Providence at the foot of the 51-year-old span for the start of actual demolition/remodeling of the structure.

RIDOT has closed the off-ramp from the Henderson Expressway West to Massasoit Avenue. Traffic is following a signed detour using North Broadway. Previously, signage was put in place informing motorists of the changes and will be in place for the short detour route continuing on North Broadway past the on-ramp to Henderson and then making a left onto Massasoit.

This week has been spent on some site preparation work at Massasoit Avenue and North Broadway, including guardrail, curbing and traffic island removal, and barrier removal and replacement on the Henderson Expressway.

Within the $88.5 million total budget, the bridge will be reduced from six lanes to three, with two heading west towards Providence and one heading the opposite direction towards East Providence. A fourth bicycle/pedestrian lane is also planned, connecting the on-street bicycle networks in East Providence and Providence as well as the Blackstone River Bikeway.

The 2,000-foot Henderson Bridge, the original construction completed in 1969, was declared structurally deficient in 1996. The planned renovation was announced in February of 2019. Among the aims of the project is reducing the scale of the bridge is better access to approximately 25 acres of land in East Providence and to decrease the need for maintenance.