Laurel Ave. Bridge reopens

COVENTRY, R.I. (WPRI) -- After the historic floods of 2010, and a year and a half of rebuilding, RIDOT has reopened the Laurel Avenue Bridge in Coventry.

The Department of Transportation announced the reopening Thursday afternoon. Previous timetables had the reopening on track for next month, and the DOT says it's about three weeks ahead of schedule.

Read how the bridge got to this point:

• March 2010: Residents evacuated due to bridge collapse concerns
• June 2010: Bridge coming down piece by piece
• December 2011: Bridge on track to reopen 12/2012

Raging floodwaters of the Pawtuxet River damaged the bridge, and the bridge abutments had been in bad enough shape the entire structure was replaced. The replacement bridge is four feet wider, with sidewalks on both sides. The project of replacement included repair and stabilization to river walls.

"The bridge itself was built on a series of drilled piles placed behind the concrete walls and set 60 feet deep, well below the riverbed," the DOT's Charles St. Martin said in Thursday's news release. "The design sets the bridge apart structurally from the river walls, which will ensure its stability and longevity even if extreme flooding occurs again on the Pawtuxet River."