Traffic congestion continues to be a problem on the Washington Bridge in Providence, Rhode Island, even after a third lane opened on the eastbound side of the bridge, according to NBC affiliate WJAR.
The Department of Transportation opened three lanes this week to alleviate the congestion. However, director Peter Alviti said he believes drivers need time to adapt to the new traffic pattern.
"Today, I had an appointment over here in East Providence and I left my house at 7:30," Wally Coste, of Providence, told WJAR. "It was an hour for me to get from Providence to East Providence."
Car accidents on the highway overnight set back the opening of the three lanes on the eastbound side of the bridge, Alviti said.
When asked what if drivers don't adjust to the change and there's no improvement in traffic flow, Alviti told WJAR that they're "not stopping there."
"Through the rest of this project, we're going to continuously look at what are the things that we could do to help make that commute through that area as normal as possible," said Alviti.
Alviti also emphasized that the eastbound side of the bridge was evaluated and is safe to carry six lanes of traffic, according to WJAR.
As for the westbound direction, three lanes of traffic will open in the upcoming weeks, the Department of Transportation said.
The westbound side of the bridge was shut down on Dec. 11 because of a "critical failure of some bridge components."
Last month, Gov. Dan McKee announced that the westbound span of the bridge must be replaced.
The Washington Bridge carries Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River from Providence to East Providence and serves as a key gateway to Rhode Island's largest city. It carries close to 100,000 vehicles every day.
