Providence mayor mulls bike lane changes as lengthy Washington Bridge project looms

With years of traffic troubles ahead, Providence is looking at long-term ways to alleviate congestion from the Washington Bridge replacement.

https://turnto10.com/news/local/mayor-mulls-bike-lane-changes-as-lengthy-bridge-project-looms-brett-smiley-josh-estrella-washington-traffic-infrastructure#

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GOOD EVENING. EVERYONE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON THE SAME PATRICK STAY. I’M SAM READ WITH YEARS OF PROJECTED TRAFFIC TROUBLES. AHEAD PROVIDENCE IS LOOKING AT A LONG TERM WAY TO ALLEVIATE CONGESTION FROM THE WASHINGTON.

BRIDGE REPLACEMENT THAT COULD INCLUDE CHANGING OR REMOVING BIKE LANES. NBC 10S KATIE BENOIT HAS MORE AND WE LEARNED A FEW DAYS AGO THAT THE WESTBOUND SIDE OF THE WASHINGTON. BRIDGE WILL HAVE TO BE DEMOLISHED AND REBUILTS.

NOW SURROUNDING CITIES ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE PLAN TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC. BACKUPS, IT’LL BE YEARS UNTIL DRIVERS WILL BE ABLE TO TRAVEL OVER THE WESTBOUND. SIDE OF THE WASHINGTON BRIDGE. THE TRAFFIC SITUATION CONTINUES

TO BE A NIGHTMARE FOR MANY. DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO AVOID IT. CAUSING DELAYS IN SPOTS LIKE DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE FOR SEEING TRAFFIC IN PLACES THAT. I WOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED ON ALL AVENUE AS PEOPLE TRY TO MAKE A BYPASS.

ON THEIR OWN TRYING TO GET ON TO 95 NORTH BACKS UP BECAUSE THEY’RE STUCK. CAN’T GET A CROSS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET ON THE 195. AND SO WE’RE GONNA BE MAKING SOME INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES. NOW THAT WE KNOW NOW THAT WE

KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE RELATIVELY LONG. TERM ON SUNDAY PRESS SECRETARY. JOSH TOLD NBC 10 IN PART. IT’S TOO EARLY TO SAY WHAT CHANGES WILL NEED TO BE MADE. AND WHERE? BUT AT THIS ALL OPTIONS REMAIN

ON THE TABLE, THE CITY CONFIRMS THAT CHANGING. OR REMOVING THE BIKE LANES ON SOUTH WATER. STREET IS THE POSSIBILITY. THEY SEEM PRETTY EMPTY THE ROAD NEAR THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE CAN BACK UP WITH TRAFFIC. AS PEOPLE TRY TO GET ON I-195

EAST NEAR INDIA PARK. THE GOOD SIDE OF THE BRIDGE TAKING ON THE TRAFFIC FROM THE BAD SIDE. I CAN SEE YES WHY IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. JUST WHILE THE BRIDGE IS BEING WORKED ON THE IDEA.

MEETS MIXED CRITICISM FROM DRIVERS AND BIKERS. I THINK THAT IT IS NOT A USEFUL WAY OF THINKING ABOUT THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM. I THINK THAT THIS BIKE LEAN IS A VITAL PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE. FOR PEOPLE AROUND HERE.

I AM ALWAYS ABOUT LIKE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT FOR US. TO GET OVER THE BRIDGE FASTER BECAUSE IT’S TAKING US LONGER AND LONGER TO GET. THERE TO WHERE IT’S LIKE, NOT JUST 8 HOUR WORK DAY.

IT’S BECOMING LIKE A 101,112 HOUR WORK DAY. SOME DRIVERS TELL ME THEY’D LIKE TO SEE MORE POLICE OFFICERS HELPING. DIRECT TRAFFIC