Post Road To Be Repaired, Quaker Lane To Lose Two Lanes

Road construction season is upon us and North Kingstown is no exception as two of its main thoroughfares will get some much-needed TLC this year.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation has projects in store for two roads we named as – Post Road and Quaker Lane.  According to Charles St. Martin, spokesperson for the DOT, both roads have been on list for repair but this past winter bumped them up as higher priorities.

“It was a tough winter,” said St. Martin. “We had hoped to do a bigger project but the roads are in such bad shape that we need to work on them now.”

Post Road will see repairs from School Street up to Franklin Road just passed the East Greenwich line. St. Martin said the DOT will perform resurfacing, minor drainage and repainting. The $2 million project is set to begin construction in late summer or early fall.

Post Road has been a breeding ground for pothole related damage. Since February, there have been at least eight reported vehicles damaged by potholes on Post Road alone.

Quaker Lane looks to get a hefty makeover with its separate $2.2 million project. Aside from the resurfacing and repainting, Quaker Lane will be reduced from four lanes to two lanes from Ten Rod Road up to the park and ride off Route 4’s exit 6.

“We’ve done it with other roads where the traffic volume doesn’t really warrant four lanes,” said St. Martin. He said since the construction of Route 4, commuters no longer use Quaker Lane as an access to the lower half of South County. The reduction in lines would reduce speeds, widen shoulders and become more bike friendly, said St. Martin.

The DOT will also look to replace a recently installed traffic light on Ten Rod Road at Lang and Autumn drives to feature a dedicated left turn into each street from Ten Rod.