The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced Friday that it expects to reopen the Park Avenue Railroad Bridge in Cranston to all traffic by July 15. The bridge carries Park Avenue (Route 12) over Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, between Elmwood Avenue (Route 1) and Wellington Avenue.

“The long-awaited completion of this project will be welcomed news for our residents and surrounding businesses,” said Mayor Ken Hopkins Monday. “Although it may have been a minor inconvenience during construction, I am pleased that the bridge will now be structurally sound for its 15,000 daily commuters. Providing quality infrastructure for our residents is a top priority of mine and I am glad that the Park Ave. Bridge will be safe for decades to come.”

The $11.7 million project completely replaced the old structurally deficient bridge, which featured a wood deck and dated back to 1906; the bridge is a vital link for the Park Avenue business area.

The replacement of the Park Avenue Railroad Bridge was made possible by RhodeWorks, RIDOT’s ongoing commitment to repair structurally deficient bridges and bring Rhode Island’s transportation infrastructure into a state of good repair, promote economic development, and create jobs.