The visionary $84.4M Henderson Bridge project will fully overhaul the critical transportation network linking Providence and East Providence, Rhode Island. From designing the new future-focused bridge—right-sized at one quarter the dimensions of the overbuilt original structure—to assisting the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) with its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant application for $25 million of Phase 2 funding, VHB has been RIDOT’s valued partner through every stage of this landmark project.
VHB’s preliminary design for Henderson Parkway, completed in Phase 1, gives shape to the community’s expressed hopes for more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly features with sidewalks, traffic calming measures, and a separated shared-use path. The final design will improve traffic flow by replacing loop ramps and two traffic lights with a roundabout that will work in conjunction with the roundabout constructed at the other end of the Henderson Expressway in Phase 1. By removing 0.7 acres of pavement, the new space-saving roadway will reduce stormwater runoff and mitigate longstanding flooding issues in the project area. Designed with the future in mind, Henderson Parkway’s footprint will allow for the eventual addition of a transit lane to serve the community mobility hub East Providence envisions within the 25 acres of development space freed up by the Henderson Bridge project.
By connecting Rhode Island’s two most popular shared-use paths—the 18.2-mile Blackstone Bikeway and the 14.5-mile East Bay Bike Path—the project expands the multimodal links between Providence and East Providence for the thousands who travel these regional facilities. Path users will enjoy the enhanced safety of crossings with state-of-the-art rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) that deploy automated detection, as well as scenic vistas over the Seekonk River from two planned overlooks on the Henderson Bridge.
Continuing as Design Engineer, VHB will lead the Phase 2 design to further amplify the benefits of the redesigned Henderson Bridge transportation network for roadway users and the communities on both sides of the river. Vital to this effort will be the transformation of Henderson Expressway—a freeway-type bridge link that has divided East Providence neighborhoods since its construction—to Henderson Parkway, a complete street that reknits the urban fabric, safely and efficiently accommodating all modes of travel.
