Major changes planned next week in Apponaug circulator traffic

Warwick Beacon ·

More traffic pattern changes are on the way at the Apponaug Circulator project in Warwick as the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is set to implement three significant traffic pattern changes starting the week of October 10. The changes are the latest steps in transitioning Apponaug's traffic pattern into the new circulator designed to improve traffic flow across the city, improve safety by replacing signalized intersections with roundabouts, and shifting the heaviest flow of traffic away from the heart of this historic village.

There will be three significant traffic changes: Westbound traffic will utilize the new Veterans Memorial Drive Extension; Westbound travel on Route 117 (Centerville Road) at Apponaug Four Corners will not be permitted. Eastbound travel will continue on Route 117; and a section of Greenwich Avenue will be open to northbound traffic, from Apponaug Four Corners to the roundabout at Greenwich Avenue and Veterans Memorial Drive.

The $71 million Apponaug Circulator project is on budget and about one month ahead of schedule. The project involves the construction of an entirely new traffic pattern for one of the busiest travel corridors in Warwick, with the reconstruction of 2.3 miles of roadway and installation of five roundabouts throughout the village.

The project is transforming a congested and outdated urban circulator system into a more efficient, safer, accessible and sustainable facility. The new Veterans Memorial Drive Extension will serve as a bypass for the nearly 25,000 vehicles that travel through the heart of this historic village each day. Reducing traffic volumes through the village is a key component in the City's revitalization plans for Apponaug, which envision a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly environment as a destination for its shops, restaurants, and cultural events. Learn more at www.dot.ri.gov/apponaug.