NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) — As part of an ongoing reconfiguration project, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) says it’s almost ready to open a new on-ramp that runs directly from downtown Newport to the Pell Bridge.

The dedicated ramp will officially open the night of Thursday, April 13, officials said.

The ramp will connect the bridge to JT Connell Highway, eliminating the need for a traffic light in the area. Traffic will now have its own lane onto Route 138 West and will not have to stop or yield.

RIDOT installed a new traffic pattern in the area last month.

A traffic light that was temporarily put in place during the winter will now be removed, according to RIDOT.

For the next step of the project, RIDOT will close will close Admiral Kalbfus Road in late April to demolish the old Route 138 overpass. The agency said it will announce exact dates for closures “well in advance.”