Interstate 295 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts)

Interstate 295 (I-295), sometimes called the Providence Beltway, is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts; it is maintained by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Spanning nearly it forms a western beltway around Providence, and is a bypass of I-95 as it travels through the capital city. I-895 was proposed as a complementary eastern beltway to complete a full loop around the city in the 1960s, but was ultimately scrapped in the 1980s.

The southern terminus of I-295 is at its split from I-95 in Warwick, Rhode Island. Among several state highways, it intersects with US 6 in Johnston and US 44 in Smithfield before entering North Attleborough, Massachusetts from Cumberland, Rhode Island. It intersects with US 1 in North Attleborough before arriving at its northern terminus as it merges into I-95 in Attleboro. I-295 is the first highway in Rhode Island to convert to an exclusive mileage-based exit numbering system, having transitioned from a sequential numbering system in 2017. Exit signs north of the interchange with US 6 previously included both miletabs and exit numbers before being replaced in 2007.

Route description

Interstate 295 serves as a partial circumferential highway around Providence, Rhode Island, bypassing the city to the west and north. The southern terminus of Interstate 295 is located in Warwick (interstate 95 exit 11 Northbound/12B Southbound). The complex interchange involves access between I-95, I-295, and Rhode Island Route 113, which is labeled Exit 1A (the interchange with I-95 is unnumbered). Immediately after this interchange, I-295 crosses the Pawtucket River, and passes the Warwick Mall, which lies on a property outlined by the interchange and the two highways. The mall is accessed via Exit 1B, which provides partial access to Rhode Island Route 2 (northbound I-295 exits to northbound Route 2, while southbound I-295 exits to southbound Route 2). Exit 3A-B provides access to Rhode Island Route 37 within the town of Cranston. Exit 6 for Rhode Island Route 14 is next, known locally as Plainfield Pike, which defines the border between Cranston and Johnston. Exit 7 provides access to a local industrial park. There is a complex interchange with U.S. 6 and U.S. 6A in Johnston, labeled Exit 9A-B-C, which involves near overlap between U.S. 6 and I-295 (U.S. 6 uses the collector-distributor lanes along the side of I-295 briefly, and access from U.S. 6 westbound to I-295 southbound requires the use of a special double-loop ramp at 9B). A diamond interchange (Exit 10) with Rhode Island Route 5 is the last exit in Johnston, and the highway enters Smithfield and immediately has a cloverleaf interchange (Exit 12A-B) with U.S. 44. After another cloverleaf interchange (Exit 15A-B) with Rhode Island Route 7, the highway begins a gentle curve eastward towards Massachusetts. Within the town of Lincoln, I-295 meets Rhode Island Route 146 (Exit 18A-B), the Eddie Dowling Highway, part of the larger Worcester/Providence Pike. There are two interchanges in the town of Cumberland, being Rhode Island Route 122 (exit 20) and Rhode Island Route 114 (exit 22). Entering Massachusetts in the town of North Attleboro there is a cloverleaf interchange (Exit 2A-B) with U.S. Route 1 before reaching its northern terminus (locally eastbound) in Attleboro at Exit 4A-B with I-95.

History

In the mid-1950s, the state of Rhode Island introduced plans to build a beltway around Providence, then known as Relocated Route 5 for inclusion in the Interstate Highway System. A modified version of this plan was accepted, with another modification done in 1960 resulting in a planned alignment. Construction began in 1964 and the original route was completed by 1975. The original intention was to have Interstate 295 act as a full ring road around the greater Providence area with the alignment roughly following Route 37 across Narragansett Bay and continuing in a northern direction with a major interchange located at Interstate 195 exit 2 in Swansea, Massachusetts before heading west towards Attleboro. Due to opposition from communities in the proposed alignment, cancellation occurred in 1982.

The original alignment of Interstate 84 called for an east-west right of way from the Rhode Island and Connecticut state line (Willimantic, Connecticut and Foster, Rhode Island) to Johnston, Rhode Island through the Scituate Reservoir. The connection with Interstate 295 was planned as a full interchange with flyover ramps. Due to fears of runoff affecting the Scituate Reservoir, this alignment of Interstate 84 was cancelled. This interchange (Exits 9A-C) currently acts as multiplex for US 6 with a partial interchange with Route 10 further down US 6. The ramp that was originally going to be used to merge onto I-84 West from I-295 North has been converted to a turnaround ramp (Exit 9B) from I-295 North to I-295 South.

Exit list

In 2016, it was announced that both Rhode Island and Massachusetts interchanges were to receive new exit numbers based on route mileage in accordance with federal standards. Massachusetts was scheduled to start in 2016, though the project was indefinitely postponed in mid-2016. On November 18, 2019, MassDOT confirmed the project will begin in late summer 2020. Massachusetts exits were renumbered over two nights on January 3–4, 2021. Rhode Island exits were renumbered from November 27, 2017 to December 8, 2017.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Interstate 295 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)
95-2 Rhode Island
2 Rhode Island
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Providence metropolitan area
Transportation in Bristol County, Massachusetts
Transportation in Kent County, Rhode Island
Transportation in Providence County, Rhode Island