PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Trucks carrying pieces of a prefabricated bridge will navigate, with help from police escorts, Rhode Island's highways and Providence's Olneyville streets from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday.
The final destination: the Fred Lippitt Woonasquatucket River Greenway.
The greenway's 5.7-mile bike path from Providence to Johnston is getting a small expansion so users won't have to be on busy Valley Street as much as they currently are. The new off-road stretch will take them through Donigian Park -- it passes by it now -- and over the river behind Rising Sun Mills, said Alicia Lehrer, executive director of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council.
The council members are the stewards of the river and surrounding area, and have helped with many improvement projects since 1993. The state Department of Transportation says this project costs $1.6 million. Lehrer says it was scheduled to be completed in October, but may be delayed by a month of so.
A DOT news release says the following roads will be affected: Route 6 East, Route 102 North, Route 44 East, I-295 South, Route 6A (Hartford Avenue), Route 5 (Atwood Avenue), Cherry Hill Road, Route 128 (Greenville Avenue), Manton Avenue, Delaine Street and Greco Lane.
Hartford Avenue may be closed briefly, so drivers are warned to expect delays.