Henderson Bridge (Rhode Island)
Encyclopedia
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
which spans the Seekonk River
Seekonk River
The Seekonk River is a tidal extension of the Providence River in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 8 km . Most historical scholars agree that the name is derived from two Native American words, sucki and honc...
, connecting the cities of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and East Providence
East Providence, Rhode Island
East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,037 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state.-Geography:East Providence is located at ....
.
History
The bridge was opened in 1969 to replace the old Red Bridge and was also part of a planned Route 44 freeway that would have extended from the Gano Street interchange with Interstate 195 (whose ramps were built specifically for the Route 44 freeway), along the west shore of the river, over the bridge, then along a never-built section of freeway in East ProvidenceEast Providence, Rhode Island
East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,037 at the 2010 census, making it the fifth largest city in the state.-Geography:East Providence is located at ....
, returning to Route 44 just east of Route 114 and Route 1A. Since the freeway was never completed, the section that was built was not given a route number. Curiously, the freeway's right-of-way
Easement
An easement is a certain right to use the real property of another without possessing it.Easements are helpful for providing pathways across two or more pieces of property or allowing an individual to fish in a privately owned pond...
in East Providence is completely cleared to its planned end at Route 44. The bridge was named after its designer, George Henderson, of Rumford, R.I..
Area Under the Bridge
There is a large area of woods and trails under and around the East Providence side of the bridge. These are often used by dirtbikers for recreational use.Repair work
On April 17, 2008, it was reported that the bridge requires $50 million worth of repairs, but the stateRhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
only had $3.3 million to allocate. Some problems noted are cracks in the concrete pier caps & rusting steel beams. RIDOT
Rhode Island Department of Transportation
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is a Rhode Island state government agency charged with construction, maintenance and inspection of a wide range of transportation infrastructure. These include 1,102 miles of state roads and highways, 772 bridges, and 777 traffic signals...
chief engineer Kazem Farhoumand has stated that steel reinforcements can be bolted on to the steel beams to make them "good for another 5 or 10 years."