Rhode Island
RIDOT will hold public meetings about Washington Bridge closure, legislators say – The Boston Globe
Asked about RIDOT aiming to schedule the meetings after it has a sense of what to do to fix the bridge, Kazarian added: “Accountability is key, timelines are key, and the more RIDOT can share, the sooner it can share it with the public, the better.”
The closure of the bridge that takes Interstate 195 westbound over the Seekonk River on Dec. 11 has led to traffic problems in surrounding towns. Within days, the state opened temporary westbound lanes on the eastbound side of the highway, which is actually a different and newer structure, but the overall reduction in lanes has led to an increase in travel times for commuters and locals alike.
Lawmakers in affected communities have had weekly standing meetings with RIDOT, which will continue, they said. They were briefed by Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti and other officials.
Also Friday, RIDOT told lawmakers it would launch a website dedicated to the bridge closure, which would include more realistic travel time estimates.
“I think it would be very helpful to my constituents,” said state Representative Matthew Dawson, an East Providence Democrat.
RIDOT also announced Friday that it would test new traffic patterns on Interstate 195, well east of the bridge. Starting Friday night, the department will begin reducing the number of travel lanes on Interstate 195 west starting east of the East Shore Expressway entrance to the highway, from three lanes to two.
“The department has modeled this traffic pattern and the model appears to show that creating a merge east of the East Shore Expressway should reduce travel time,” RIDOT said. “This pattern will allow those using the East Shore Expressway, Pawtucket Avenue and Broadway ramps to merge more easily.”
RIDOT said it would test the new pattern on Friday night and monitor it over the weekend and beginning of the work week, then decide whether to keep it.
Senate Majority Whip Valarie J. Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, said Friday about that news: “I am hoping this new traffic pattern will provide some relief on the bridge and also reduce commuting time in the community.” RIDOT officials believe the new traffic pattern will shave 8 to 10 minutes off the commute on I-195, she said.
With bridge work under way, East Providence has gone from four to two on-ramps onto I-195, and the bridge closure has led to lots of congestion on Pawtucket Avenue and Broadway, Lawson said. She said she has come to a dead stop for at least 15 minutes while driving on Broadway.
Constituents are concerned about the impact the traffic congestion is having on local businesses, Lawson said, and another major concern is the unpredictability of traffic conditions. “You just never know, when you get in car, what the [travel] time will be,“ she said. “It’s like a roll of the dice.”
Lawson said RIDOT is still expecting to get a report and recommendations from engineers by late February or early March about the bridge’s westbound lanes. One of the potential options is a full rebuild of the bridge.
“Ultimately we need to make sure all the roads and bridges are safe and that the public has confidence in this process,” Lawson said. “I did raise today that when it comes time to make the decisions, we need to share the process with everyone so everyone feels that, whatever the final decision is, it was done with fidelity and with everyone’s best interest in mind.”
Lawson said it’s good to have an open dialogue between legislators and RIDOT. “We have a vehicle to raise our constituents’ concerns and to answer questions,” she said.
Representative Susan Donovan of Bristol, who was also on the call, said the most frustrating thing about the closure for her constituents remains getting to work on time.
“I can’t even imagine being a nurse or a doctor and having to be someplace at a certain time,” she said. “They don’t have any wiggle room.”
Mayor Bob DaSilva was also on Friday’s call. He said he encouraged people on the call to focus on the progress that’s been made, rather than dwell on the negative and, in so doing, make the situation seem worse than it actually is. Some small businesses, like restaurants, are reporting a cratering of lunch crowds because people are afraid they won’t be able to get in and out of East Providence, he said.
But East Providence is open for business, DaSilva said in an interview after the briefing. Traffic in the past week has improved markedly, probably a combination of changing commuter behaviors and steps to improve traffic flow. It’s still not back to pre-closure levels, and at times, depending on the condition of the highway, you can get stuck for 45 minutes. But it’s also better than it was in the early days, and should improve even more with the steps RIDOT is taking, DaSilva said.
“I just want people to know that if you want to come here for lunch, for dinner — we’re open,” DaSilva said. “It’s easy in and out. You’re not going to get jammed up.”
This story has been updated with comments from Bob DaSilva.
Brian Amaral can be reached at brian.amaral@globe.com. Follow him @bamaral44. Steph Machado can be reached at steph.machado@globe.com. Follow her @StephMachado. Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.
Forget limos, Taylor Swift will need buses for her wedding guests
Airline Express Limousine Owner Chuck O’Koomian tells us why.
As Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce eye possibly getting married at her Watch Hill, Rhode Island, mansion, The Providence Journal is surveying various wedding vendors about what it would take for the Ocean State to host a wedding befitting the most popular woman in the world.
Imagine a crowd of A-list celebrities descending on the village of Watch Hill in Westerly this summer to attend the wedding of mega celebrity Taylor Swift and football star Travis Kelce.
To Chuck O’Koomian, who owns Airline Express Limousine and Car Service with his wife Ginny Cauley, it’s like a scene out of a horror movie.
“It’s gonna be a logistical nightmare,” O’Koomian told The Providence Journal.
How will guests arrive at Taylor Swift’s wedding in Westerly?
While Swift has not announced when or where her wedding will be, O’Koomian talked about what would be involved in getting a large celebrity crowd to the wedding, if it were held at her Bluff Avenue mansion, the nearby Ocean House resort or the Watch Hill Chapel, where Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo tied the know with football player Christian McCaffrey in 2024.
O’Koomian, who has provided transportation for comedian Jay Leno, who has a home in Newport, said there would be three distinct phases of ground transportation:
- Getting people from airports to their hotels
- Getting people from their hotels to the wedding activities
- Getting them back to the airports
The middle phase, delivering people to wedding activities, very well may not be just a one-day affair. Many say Swift won’t have a wedding day; they’re expecting a wedding week.
While some guests, especially those in New York or Connecticut, would probably just have their drivers bring them to Westerly, others would fly in by private jets, probably landing at Westerly State Airport or Quonset State Airport, whose military runway is long enough to handle larger jets. From there, guests would need a ride to where they are staying.
What Westerly residents have to say
Folks in Westerly have surmised that, even if it’s not the site of the ceremony or reception, the Ocean House, along with its sister property the Weekapaug Inn, plus several rented, private mansions would be needed to accommodate guests.
O’Koomian expects that a large limousine company – such as Boston Corporate Coach or Carey Limousine, in Massachusetts, or Hy’s Limousine, in Connecticut – with more than 120 cars each, would get the contract to serve Taylor Swift’s wedding. “There’s not even 120 cars in Rhode Island, all the companies combined,” he said, adding that, as a subcontractor, he would hope to get a piece of the business.
Could a fleet of private cars filled with stars snarl traffic in Westerly?
This first phase of local transportation would involve many trips of smaller parties. “They may come in two, three, four at a time,” he said.
While that is suitable for limousine service, getting from hotels to the ceremony, reception and other events, would require a different strategy for that second phase. “It’s like they’re transporting a football team,” he said.
That would mean “coaches,” the upscale version of buses. They would ease the traffic burden that would be created by limousines ferrying some 300 wedding guests around the tiny village of Watch Hill.
“It’s gonna take a lot of coordination if it’s Westerly,” O’Koomian said. “They’re going to have to shut down half the city. Police would have to shut down streets.”
A car crashed into a home in Raynham Tuesday afternoon.
Police said they responded to a report for a vehicle that crashed into a home shortly before 1 p.m. on Broadway Street.
Officers at the scene said they found a sedan that had crashed into the lower brick portion of the home.
Investigators said a man from Rhode Island appeared to suffer from a medical episode before leaving the roadway and crashing into the home.
Police said the driver suffered non life-threatening injuries. He was transported to Boston Medical Center – South in Brockton.
Officers said the home was empty at the time of the crash.
The Raynham Building Department responded to assess the home for structural damage.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
The crash is under investigation.
The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 12, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 12 drawing
05-27-45-56-59, Powerball: 04, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 12 drawing
21-23-24-28-39, Lucky Ball: 01
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Numbers numbers from Jan. 12 drawing
Midday: 3-5-2-8
Evening: 4-3-6-1
Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Wild Money numbers from Jan. 12 drawing
05-08-09-22-30, Extra: 11
Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
- Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
- Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.
When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
- Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
- Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.
CLEARED: Crash blocks I-10 westbound lanes at Mississippi–Alabama line
Avalanche closes Alaska Panhandle highway, the latest debris slide after storms deliver historic rain and snow
Here’s what Arizona law says about pedestrians’ right of way
OPINION | JOHN BRUMMETT: Reasons to be skeptical on Arkansas’ PBS claims | Arkansas Democrat Gazette
She moved from California to Sweden for a better life — she wasn’t prepared for the quiet | CNN
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Video: Clashes With Federal Agents in Minneapolis Escalate
Venezuela releases multiple American citizens from prison following military operation
The Take: Iran, Trump, and the deadliest crackdown on protests yet
Lindsey Halligan argues she should still be U.S. attorney, accuses judge of abuse of power
Playing catchup to Republicans, Democrats launch ‘largest-ever’ partisan national voter registration campaign
-
Montana4 days agoService door of Crans-Montana bar where 40 died in fire was locked from inside, owner says
-
Technology1 week agoPower bank feature creep is out of control
-
Delaware5 days agoMERR responds to dead humpback whale washed up near Bethany Beach
-
Dallas, TX5 days agoAnti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis
-
Dallas, TX1 week agoDefensive coordinator candidates who could improve Cowboys’ brutal secondary in 2026
-
Virginia4 days agoVirginia Tech gains commitment from ACC transfer QB
-
Iowa1 week agoPat McAfee praises Audi Crooks, plays hype song for Iowa State star
-
Education1 week agoVideo: This Organizer Reclaims Counter Space