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Interstate 195 Rhode Island/Massachusetts

Photo taken by Shawn De Cesari

Routing

Interstate 195 in Rhode Island and Massachusetts connects Providence with its eastern suburbs, Fall River and New Bedford, and Interstate 495 and Massachusetts 25 at Wareham. Connections with Massachusetts 25 provide a seamless freeway southeast to the Buzzards Bay Bridge (U.S. 6) and Cape Cod.

Interstate 195 could have been used as an eastern extension of Interstate 84 had Interstate 84 continued from Hartford to Providence via former Rhode Island 195 (now U.S. 6). However this option would require a new freeway or a major overhaul of RI 10/U.S. 6, as that route is not up to Interstate standards.

History

Interstate 195 was planned as Interstate 95E at the onset of the Interstate system. However before any signs were installed, the designation was changed to Interstate 195. The freeway within Rhode Island opened in 1962.

Future Aspirations

A massive project is underway involving the relocation of Interstate 195 in downtown Providence. At stake is the construction of a new Providence River Bridge between Interstate 95 near Rhode Island Hospital and India Point Park, a new interchange between Interstate 95 and 195, and a new roadway just south of the Hurricane Barrier. The construction will eliminate an often congested and curved portion of freeway near downtown. Road work will continue through 2009 on the project. See the Rhode Island Department of Transportation page for details.

Mileage

State Mileage Cities Junctions
Rhode Island 3.82 Providence, East Providence Interstate 95
Massachusetts 40.73 Fall River, Somerset, New Bedford, Fairhaven Interstate 495
Source: October 31, 2002 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-195 Rhode Island Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

County From: To: AADT Composite
Providence Interstate 95/U.S. 6 west Dyer Street eastbound ramps 161,600
Providence Dyer Street eastbound ramps Dyer Street westbound ramps 147,000
Providence Dyer Street westbound ramps Exit 2/U.S. 1A/44/Main Street 158,000
Providence Exit 2/U.S. 1A/44/Main Street Exit 3/Gano Street 128,100
Providence Exit 3/Gano Street Exit 4-5/U.S. 44 east/Taunton Ave./Veterans Mem. Pkwy. 169,400
Providence Exit 4-5/U.S. 44 east/Taunton Ave./Veterans Mem. Pkwy. Exit 6/Broadway 102,500
Providence Exit 6/Broadway Exit 7/Warren Ave. 115,300
Providence Exit 7/Warren Ave. Exit 8/East Shore Expressway 102,500
Providence Exit 8/East Shore Expressway MA state line 71,400
Source: Traffic Flow Map 2002 (Rhode Island Department of Transportation)

I-195 Massachusetts Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

County From: To: AADT Composite Year
Bristol RI state line Exit 1 MA 114A Seekonk 72,577 2000
Bristol Exit 1 MA 114A Seekonk Exit 2 MA 136 N. Swansea 75,515 2000
Bristol Exit 2 MA 136 N. Swansea Exit 3 U.S. 6 Swansea 56,400 1999
Bristol Exit 3 U.S. 6 Swansea Exit 4 MA 103 Somerset 59,900 2001
Bristol Exit 4 MA 103 Somerset Exit 5 MA 79 & 138 Davol St. 70,000 1999
Bristol Exit 5 MA 79 & 138 Davol St. Exit 6 & 7 Plymouth Ave. Downtown 71,200 2001
Bristol Exit 6 & 7 Plymouth Ave. Downtown Exit 8A MA 24 south Newport, RI 62,700 1999
Bristol Exit 8A MA 24 south Newport, RI Exit 8B MA 24 north Taunton 82,363 2002
Bristol Exit 8B MA 24 north Taunton Exit 10 MA 88 south Westport 59,600 2001
Bristol Exit 10 MA 88 south Westport Exit 11 Reed Road Hixsville 49,200 2001
Bristol Exit 11 Reed Road Hixsville Exit 12 Faunce Corner Rd. Dartmouth 60,579 2002

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Bristol Exit 12 Faunce Corner Rd. Dartmouth Exit 13 MA 140 New Bedford Taunton 56,200 2001
Bristol Exit 13 MA 140 New Bedford Taunton Exit 15 MA 18 Achushnet Ave. 56,500 1999
Bristol Exit 15 MA 18 Achushnet Ave. Exit 16/17 Washburn St. & Coggeshall St. 46,300 1997
Bristol Exit 16/17 Washburn St. & Coggeshall St. Exit 18 MA 240 south Fairhaven 42,800 2000
Bristol/ Plymouth Exit 18 MA 240 south Fairhaven Exit 19 Mattapoisett N. Rochester 37,158 2002
Plymouth Exit 19 Mattapoisett N. Rochester Exit 20 MA 105 Marion Rochester 25,700 2001
Plymouth Exit 20 MA 105 Marion Rochester Exit 21 MA 28 Wareham 22,800 2000
Plymouth Exit 21 MA 28 Wareham Exit 22 I-495 & MA 25 24,200 1999
Source: Mass Highway Traffic Volume Counts (2002)
Some exit information provided by I-195 @ ShadyJay.com

Western Terminus - Interstate 95 - Providence, Rhode Island
Perspective from Interstate 195 west
The last overhead sign assembly on Interstate 195 before the split to Interstate 95. U.S. 6 continues on Interstate 95 northbound to Exit 22. Control cities featured are Boston for north and New York for south. Photo taken by Dan Moraseski (02/01).
End Interstate 195 shield on the ramp to Interstate 95 south. The guide sign in the distance is for the first southbound Interstate 95 exit one encounters for Allens Avenue/Exit 19. Photo taken by Dan Moraseski (02/01).
Perspective from Interstate 95 south
U.S. 6 enters the freeway from the Memorial Boulevard (Exit 22) interchange at downtown Providence and merges onto Interstate 95 southbound briefly. The federal highway departs Interstate 95 for Interstate 195 eastbound at Exit 20. Interstate 195 & U.S. 6 share pavement through to Exit 4 across the Providence River. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Carter Buchanan (06/26/04).
Interstate 95 southbound splits with Interstate 195 and U.S. 6 eastbound/Exit 20. The paired routes cross the Providence River into East Providence before splitting on their respective paths to Seekonk, Massachusetts, four miles to the east. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Carter Buchanan (06/26/04).
An original button copy overhead in place at the Broad Street over crossing at the Interstate 195 & U.S. 6 eastbound split with Interstate 95 south (Exit 20). Interstate 195 is indeed the best route to the Cape Cod area of southeastern Massachusetts. However, neglected on Interstate 195 signage are the cities of Fall River and New Bedford that Interstate 195 passes through beforehand. Note the Interstate 195 shield imprint left over. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Carter Buchanan (06/26/04).
Perspective from Interstate 95 north
The first guide sign for the upcoming junction with Interstate 195 (Exit 20) posted on Interstate 95 northbound. Interstate 95 carries eight lanes of freeway into through Providence to downtown. Departing the freeway ahead is the Exit 18 off-ramp to U.S. 1A (Thurbers Avenue). Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Carter Buchanan (06/26/04).
Interstate 95 turns north along Evans Avenue (U.S. 1A) and the Providence River on the approach to Exit 20 and Interstate 195 east. High-rises from downtown Providence rise along the northern horizon. The central business district is bound by Interstate, Interstate 195, and Memorial Boulevard. Providence itself is home to 173,618 residents and is home to the Rhode Island state capital. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Carter Buchanan (06/26/04).
Interstate 95 draws to within one half mile of the Interstate 195 & U.S. 6 directional interchange (Exit 20). Signs of construction underway involving the building of a new Interstate 195 interchange and arch bridge over the Providence River become apparent. Interstate 195 & U.S. 6 overlap from Exit 20 east to the Washington Bridge and East Providence. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Carter Buchanan (06/26/04).
Traffic moves sluggishly as Interstate 195 eastbound departs from Interstate 95 northbound. Exit 20 panels feature East Providence (pop. 48,688) as a second control point in addition to Cape Cod. The southern reaches of Cape Cod National Seashore are 98 miles to the east of Providence via Interstate 195, Massachusetts 25, and U.S. 6. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (09/28/01).
A temporary construction sign was in use for the Exit 20 ramp departure of Interstate 195 & U.S. 6 eastbound at the time of this photograph. The new Interstate 195 will cross the Providence River east from the area of Evans Avenue (U.S. 1A) and Blackstone Street to India Point. From there Interstate 195 will resume on its original alignment at the Washington Bridge into East Providence. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman & Carter Buchanan (06/26/04).
Eastern Terminus - Interstate 495 - near Wareham, Massachusetts
Perspective from Interstate 195 east
The second to last exit on Interstate 195 is for Exit 21/Massachusetts 28 to Wareham. The state route cuts the corner of Interstate 195 to Massachusetts 25/Exit 22A and is the first eastbound exit of Massachusetts 25. Note that the mainline of Interstate 195 is now shown as Interstate 495. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (04/20/02).
Interstate 195 eastbound draws to a close at Exits 22A/B. Traffic departing to the right will enter the Massachusetts 25 freeway eastward to East Wareham, Indian Beach, and Buzzards Bay. Traffic continuing straight can turn back to the northwest on the northbound beginning of Interstate 495. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (04/20/02).
Perspective from Massachusetts 25 north
The first exit for Interstate 495 northbound is Exit 1 of Interstate 195 westbound. This interchange is unique in that both Interstates 195 and 495 terminate at the same time Massachusetts 25 ends. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (04/20/02).

Page Updated December 5, 2005.