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Route 37 (Rhode Island)
Encyclopedia
Route 37, also known as the Lincoln Avenue Freeway, is a numbered state highway
running 3.47 miles (5.58 km) in Providence County
and Kent County
, Rhode Island
, United States
. The route is a nominally east–west freeway for its entire length. Route 37 serves the cities of Cranston
and Warwick
and is also a major east–west freeway in the Providence metropolitan area
, linking T. F. Green Airport
with Interstate 295
. The western terminus of Route 37 is an at-grade intersection
with Natick Avenue in Cranston. The freeway has numbered interchanges with I-295, Rhode Island Route 2, Pontiac Avenue, and I-95 before terminating at a trumpet interchange with U.S. Route 1
in Warwick.
Originally conceived as a freeway linking Scituate
with suburban Warwick, the proposed alignment of Route 37 was later shortened to an alignment linking I-295 with I-95. Construction on the freeway began in 1963 and was completed by 1969. An eastward extension across upper Narragansett Bay
was proposed in 1966; this proposal would have extended Route 37 north to I-195
and I-295 in Attleboro, Massachusetts
, completing a beltway around the city of Providence
. This extended route was approved and given the I-895 designation in 1968, but the extension was ultimately canceled by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation
(RIDOT). In the 1980s, Route 37 was included in proposals for an eastward extension of Interstate 84
from Hartford, Connecticut
to Rhode Island, but this alignment was also canceled. RIDOT has long-range plans to extend Route 37 east to Route 117 in Downtown Warwick, but plans for a westward extension have been abandoned.
with Natick Avenue in the city of Cranston
; Natick Avenue is an unnumbered road that is used to access Rhode Island Route 51 (Phenix Avenue). Shortly after the intersection with Natick Avenue, Route 37 begins to head in a northeastern direction and has its first numbered exit at a cloverleaf interchange
with I-295
. The interchange is signed as Exits 1A-B from Route 37 west, but both the northbound and southbound lanes of I-295 are served via a single on-ramp from Route 37 east. After the junction with I-295, Route 37 passes through a densely settled region of Cranston and passes over Route 5 on a single-span bridge. After passing under Glen Hills Drive, the freeway turns to head in a southwestern direction before intersecting Route 2 at a cloverleaf interchange
signed as Exits 2A-B.
After the interchange with Route 2, Route 37 passes over Power Road before intersecting with Pontiac Avenue, an unnumbered, four-lane highway in Cranston. The interchange, numbered as Exit 3, is the only one along the length of Route 37 that does not have a suffix
ed exit number
in either direction. Shortly after Exit 3, Route 37 crosses over the Pawtuxet River
and enters the city of Warwick
. In Warwick, the freeway has a complicated interchange with I-95
that is signed as Exits 4A-B. From westbound Route 37, exit 4B is a right-hand exit that is used to access I-95 north, while exit 4A is a left-hand exit that is used to access I-95 south. Both ramps from eastbound Route 37 are right-hand exits.
After the I-95 interchange, Route 37 widens to three lanes in each direction. The freeway crosses Jefferson Boulevard and Amtrak
's Northeast Corridor
railroad on twin-span bridges and passes to the north of the Lincoln Park Cemetery
before interchanging with US 1
at exits 5A-B. The freeway terminates at a trumpet interchange with US 1, with the two left-hand lanes defaulting onto US 1 north and the right-hand lane serving US 1 south, which connects to T. F. Green Airport
.
of Rhode Island
. The freeway was originally proposed to begin at Route 116 in Hope, a village of Scituate
, and extend east through Cranston
to Route 117 in Warwick
. The route would also have connections with the proposed I-295 in Cranston and I-95 in Warwick.
In 1959, RIDPW approved construction of the expressway, amending the proposed route to an alignment extending roughly from I-295 to a junction with Route 10 (Huntington Expressway) in Warwick; Route 10 would be extended south to Warwick as part of the plan. The routing was officially designated as Route 37, but was also referred to as the "Lincoln Avenue Freeway" after a local road in Warwick that the new route would bypass. RIDPW originally planned to begin construction in 1960, but it was delayed until 1963 due to ongoing construction projects with I-95 and I-195 in Providence
. Route 37 was routed through mostly undeveloped land in the cities of Warwick and Cranston, and in 1969, the construction of the freeway to an interchange with US 1 in Warwick was completed. The proposed southern extension of Route 10 was ultimately canceled by RIDPW.
In 1966, Route 37 was included in a proposal to extend I-295
across Narragansett Bay
to make a full beltway around the city of Providence
. The plan, which was approved by both RIDPW and the Massachusetts Highway Department
(MassHighway), involved extending Route 37 eastward from its existing terminus at US 1 across Narragansett bay via a new bridge that would connect Warwick with the town of Barrington
. The expressway would then head northward into the town of Warren
, intersecting I-195
in the town of Swansea
after crossing into Massachusetts
. Eventually, the freeway would connect with I-295 at its existing northern terminus in Attleboro, Massachusetts
.
In 1969, the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) designated the proposed expressway as I-895 instead of the originally proposed I-295. The expressway was planned to extend the existing Route 37 by 24.4 miles (39.3 km), and was scheduled to be completed by 1975. In 1971, however, the expressway's original routing was canceled due to community opposition in the towns of Barrington and Warren and concerns that a new bridge across Upper Narragansett Bay would interfere with aviation traffic at T. F. Green Airport
. In 1971, RIDOT
submitted a new proposed alignment for I-895 that utilized the Jamestown
and Newport Bridges
in southern Newport County
and bypassed Barrington and Warwick altogether, but the interstate was ultimately canceled in 1982.
In 1981, ten years after the eastern extension of Route 37 was canceled, RIDOT began planning studies for a western extension of the freeway. The expressway was included in a proposal to extend I-84
eastward from Hartford, Connecticut
to Providence; more northern alignments for the freeway had been rejected due to concerns of potential damage to the Scituate Reservoir
. The southern routing of I-84, which would have utilized Route 37 and terminated in Warwick, largely bypassed the reservoir's watershed
. In 1982, however, I-84 was officially canceled by RIDOT after studies indicated that the southern alignment was not a feasible alternative.
before terminating at Route 117 (West Shore Road). The first option was ultimately dropped by RIDOT after studies indicated the routing would interfere with aviation traffic at T. F. Green Airport. The freeway extension to Route 117, however, remains on RIDOT's long-term plans.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
running 3.47 miles (5.58 km) in Providence County
Providence County, Rhode Island
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 621,602 people, 239,936 households, and 152,839 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,504 people per square mile . There were 253,214 housing units at an average density of 613 per square mile...
and Kent County
Kent County, Rhode Island
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 167,090 people, 67,320 households, and 44,969 families residing in the county. The population density was 982 people per square mile . There were 70,365 housing units at an average density of 414 per square mile...
, Rhode Island
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The route is a nominally east–west freeway for its entire length. Route 37 serves the cities of Cranston
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
and Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
and is also a major east–west freeway in the Providence metropolitan area
Providence metropolitan area
The Providence metropolitan area is a region covering six counties in two states, and is the 37th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Anchored by the city of Providence, Rhode Island, it has an estimated population of 1,622,520, exceeding that of Rhode Island by slightly over 60%. The...
, linking T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green...
with Interstate 295
Interstate 295 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)
Interstate 295 is an Interstate route in length within the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It serves as a western bypass around Providence, Rhode Island. The southern terminus is a junction with I-95 in Warwick, Rhode Island...
. The western terminus of Route 37 is an at-grade intersection
At-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
with Natick Avenue in Cranston. The freeway has numbered interchanges with I-295, Rhode Island Route 2, Pontiac Avenue, and I-95 before terminating at a trumpet interchange with U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Rhode Island
In the U.S. state of Rhode Island, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Providence. Staying close to the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay, it is a longer route than Interstate 95, and many portions are a four-lane divided highway....
in Warwick.
Originally conceived as a freeway linking Scituate
Scituate, Rhode Island
Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,329 at the 2010 census.-History:Scituate was first settled in 1710 by emigrants from Scituate, Massachusetts...
with suburban Warwick, the proposed alignment of Route 37 was later shortened to an alignment linking I-295 with I-95. Construction on the freeway began in 1963 and was completed by 1969. An eastward extension across upper Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
was proposed in 1966; this proposal would have extended Route 37 north to I-195
Interstate 195 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)
Interstate 195 is an Interstate Highway running a combined 40.1 miles in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It travels from a junction with Interstate 95 in Providence, Rhode Island east to a junction with Interstate 495 and Route 25 in Wareham, Massachusetts...
and I-295 in Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States and is immediately north of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers, Attleboro had a population of 42,068 at the 2000 census, and a population of 43,645 as of...
, completing a beltway around the city 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...
. This extended route was approved and given the I-895 designation in 1968, but the extension was ultimately canceled by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation
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...
(RIDOT). In the 1980s, Route 37 was included in proposals for an eastward extension of Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
from Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
to Rhode Island, but this alignment was also canceled. RIDOT has long-range plans to extend Route 37 east to Route 117 in Downtown Warwick, but plans for a westward extension have been abandoned.
Route description
Route 37 begins at an at-grade intersectionAt-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
with Natick Avenue in the city of Cranston
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
; Natick Avenue is an unnumbered road that is used to access Rhode Island Route 51 (Phenix Avenue). Shortly after the intersection with Natick Avenue, Route 37 begins to head in a northeastern direction and has its first numbered exit at a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
with I-295
Interstate 295 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)
Interstate 295 is an Interstate route in length within the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It serves as a western bypass around Providence, Rhode Island. The southern terminus is a junction with I-95 in Warwick, Rhode Island...
. The interchange is signed as Exits 1A-B from Route 37 west, but both the northbound and southbound lanes of I-295 are served via a single on-ramp from Route 37 east. After the junction with I-295, Route 37 passes through a densely settled region of Cranston and passes over Route 5 on a single-span bridge. After passing under Glen Hills Drive, the freeway turns to head in a southwestern direction before intersecting Route 2 at a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
signed as Exits 2A-B.
After the interchange with Route 2, Route 37 passes over Power Road before intersecting with Pontiac Avenue, an unnumbered, four-lane highway in Cranston. The interchange, numbered as Exit 3, is the only one along the length of Route 37 that does not have a suffix
Suffix
In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns or adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs...
ed exit number
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
in either direction. Shortly after Exit 3, Route 37 crosses over the Pawtuxet River
Pawtuxet River
The Pawtuxet River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows and drains a watershed of . There are four dams along the river's length.-Course:...
and enters the city of Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
. In Warwick, the freeway has a complicated interchange with I-95
Interstate 95 in Rhode Island
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, runs generally southwest-northeast through the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It runs from the border with Connecticut near Westerly through Warwick and Providence and to the Massachusetts state line...
that is signed as Exits 4A-B. From westbound Route 37, exit 4B is a right-hand exit that is used to access I-95 north, while exit 4A is a left-hand exit that is used to access I-95 south. Both ramps from eastbound Route 37 are right-hand exits.
After the I-95 interchange, Route 37 widens to three lanes in each direction. The freeway crosses Jefferson Boulevard and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
railroad on twin-span bridges and passes to the north of the Lincoln Park Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
before interchanging with US 1
U.S. Route 1 in Rhode Island
In the U.S. state of Rhode Island, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Providence. Staying close to the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay, it is a longer route than Interstate 95, and many portions are a four-lane divided highway....
at exits 5A-B. The freeway terminates at a trumpet interchange with US 1, with the two left-hand lanes defaulting onto US 1 north and the right-hand lane serving US 1 south, which connects to T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green...
.
Construction of the freeway
The origins of Route 37 date back to 1956, when the Rhode Island Department of Public Works (RIDPW) included the Route 37 Expressway on its list of proposed freeways for the stateU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Rhode Island
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...
. The freeway was originally proposed to begin at Route 116 in Hope, a village of Scituate
Scituate, Rhode Island
Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,329 at the 2010 census.-History:Scituate was first settled in 1710 by emigrants from Scituate, Massachusetts...
, and extend east through Cranston
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
to Route 117 in Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
. The route would also have connections with the proposed I-295 in Cranston and I-95 in Warwick.
In 1959, RIDPW approved construction of the expressway, amending the proposed route to an alignment extending roughly from I-295 to a junction with Route 10 (Huntington Expressway) in Warwick; Route 10 would be extended south to Warwick as part of the plan. The routing was officially designated as Route 37, but was also referred to as the "Lincoln Avenue Freeway" after a local road in Warwick that the new route would bypass. RIDPW originally planned to begin construction in 1960, but it was delayed until 1963 due to ongoing construction projects with I-95 and I-195 in 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...
. Route 37 was routed through mostly undeveloped land in the cities of Warwick and Cranston, and in 1969, the construction of the freeway to an interchange with US 1 in Warwick was completed. The proposed southern extension of Route 10 was ultimately canceled by RIDPW.
Proposed extensions
Interstate 295 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)
Interstate 295 is an Interstate route in length within the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It serves as a western bypass around Providence, Rhode Island. The southern terminus is a junction with I-95 in Warwick, Rhode Island...
across Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
to make a full beltway around the city 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...
. The plan, which was approved by both RIDPW and the Massachusetts Highway Department
Massachusetts Highway Department
The Massachusetts Highway Department was the former name of the highway department in the United States Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1991 until it became the highway division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation on November 1, 2009...
(MassHighway), involved extending Route 37 eastward from its existing terminus at US 1 across Narragansett bay via a new bridge that would connect Warwick with the town of Barrington
Barrington, Rhode Island
Barrington is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 16,310 at the 2010 census.In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Barrington sixth on its list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.-History:...
. The expressway would then head northward into the town of Warren
Warren, Rhode Island
Warren is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,611 at the 2010 census.-History:Warren was the site of the Indian village of Sowams on the peninsula called Pokanoket , and was first explored by Europeans in 1621, by Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins...
, intersecting I-195
Interstate 195 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)
Interstate 195 is an Interstate Highway running a combined 40.1 miles in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It travels from a junction with Interstate 95 in Providence, Rhode Island east to a junction with Interstate 495 and Route 25 in Wareham, Massachusetts...
in the town of Swansea
Swansea, Massachusetts
Swansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts.It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, 47 miles south of Boston; and 12 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island....
after crossing into Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Eventually, the freeway would connect with I-295 at its existing northern terminus in Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States and is immediately north of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers, Attleboro had a population of 42,068 at the 2000 census, and a population of 43,645 as of...
.
In 1969, the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
(FHWA) designated the proposed expressway as I-895 instead of the originally proposed I-295. The expressway was planned to extend the existing Route 37 by 24.4 miles (39.3 km), and was scheduled to be completed by 1975. In 1971, however, the expressway's original routing was canceled due to community opposition in the towns of Barrington and Warren and concerns that a new bridge across Upper Narragansett Bay would interfere with aviation traffic at T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green...
. In 1971, 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...
submitted a new proposed alignment for I-895 that utilized the Jamestown
Jamestown Bridge
The Jamestown Bridge, usually referred to as the Old Jamestown Bridge to avoid confusion with its replacement, the new Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge, was a cantilever truss bridge that connected Conanicut Island to mainland North Kingstown, Rhode Island, spanning the West passage of Narragansett Bay...
and Newport Bridges
Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge
The Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, is a suspension bridge operated by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority that spans the East Passage of the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island , connecting the City of Newport on Aquidneck Island and the Town of Jamestown on...
in southern Newport County
Newport County, Rhode Island
-National protected areas:* Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge* Touro Synagogue National Historic Site-History:Newport County was constituted on June 22, 1703, as one of the two original counties of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. As originally established, Newport...
and bypassed Barrington and Warwick altogether, but the interstate was ultimately canceled in 1982.
In 1981, ten years after the eastern extension of Route 37 was canceled, RIDOT began planning studies for a western extension of the freeway. The expressway was included in a proposal to extend I-84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
eastward from Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
to Providence; more northern alignments for the freeway had been rejected due to concerns of potential damage to the Scituate Reservoir
Scituate Reservoir
The Scituate Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the state of Rhode Island. It has an aggregate capacity of and a surface area of 5.3 square miles...
. The southern routing of I-84, which would have utilized Route 37 and terminated in Warwick, largely bypassed the reservoir's watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. In 1982, however, I-84 was officially canceled by RIDOT after studies indicated that the southern alignment was not a feasible alternative.
Recent history
In June 2006, erosion resulting from heavy rains exposed human remains near the westbound lanes of Route 37 in Cranston. Subsequent drainage improvements to the freeway led to the discovery of human remains from more than 70 individuals buried in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Archaeological research indicated that the portion of Route 37 in Cranston between Exits 2 and 3 was inadvertently constructed over a portion of the State Farm Cemetery in the 1960s. The cemetery's wooden burial markers had deteriorated by the time Route 37 was constructed, and environmental studies that would have indicated the location of the cemetery were not conducted prior to the expressway's construction. In late 2006, the remains of 71 individuals were exhumed from the site of the previous cemetery and re-interred at the State Institution Cemetery in Warwick. On July 14, 2009, RIDOT hosted a memorial service for the 71 people re-interred in Warwick.Future
In 1992, RIDOT reviewed plans for an eastern extension of Route 37. The department conducted planning studies on two proposed freeway alignments that would extend Route 37 into Downtown Warwick. The first proposal continued the freeway southeast from US 1 to Airport Road for 0.75 miles (1.2 km), while the second proposal extended the freeway east for 1.5 miles (2.4 km), intersecting Route 117 and Route 117A in the village of HoxsieHoxsie, Rhode Island
Hoxsie is the largest section in the city of Warwick, Rhode Island. At the center of the city, bordered by Airport Road and Warwick Avenue, the area is adjacent to T. F. Green Airport, Rhode Island's primary airport....
before terminating at Route 117 (West Shore Road). The first option was ultimately dropped by RIDOT after studies indicated the routing would interfere with aviation traffic at T. F. Green Airport. The freeway extension to Route 117, however, remains on RIDOT's long-term plans.
Exit list
| County | City | Mile | # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence Providence County, Rhode Island -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 621,602 people, 239,936 households, and 152,839 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,504 people per square mile . There were 253,214 housing units at an average density of 613 per square mile... |
Cranston Cranston, Rhode Island Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston... |
||
| 0.00 | At-grade intersection At-grade intersection An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting... ; westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
||
| 0.07 | 1 | , New York New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
Signed as exits 1A (south) and 1B (north) westbound |
| 1.03 | 2 | , Reservoir Avenue | Signed as exits 2A (south) and 2B (north) |
| 1.76 | 3 | Pontiac Avenue, John O. Pastore Center | |
| Pawtuxet River Pawtuxet River The Pawtuxet River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows and drains a watershed of . There are four dams along the river's length.-Course:... crossing |
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| Kent Kent County, Rhode Island -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 167,090 people, 67,320 households, and 44,969 families residing in the county. The population density was 982 people per square mile . There were 70,365 housing units at an average density of 414 per square mile... |
Warwick Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000... |
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| 2.31 | 4 | , New York New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... , T. F. Green Airport T. F. Green Airport T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green... , Jefferson Boulevard |
Signed as exits 4A (south) and 4B (north); access to Jefferson Boulevard via Exit 15 off I-95 north |
| 2.99 | 5 | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; signed as exits 5A (south) and 5B (north) | |