60 Years Ago - E. Prov. Freeway (Route 195) Opens- To Be Named for Veterans

Starting in 1957, over two miles of buildings were moved or demolished. Two years later, finishing touches were still being made when it was decided to open the freeway before the December holiday travel season began. Sixty years ago, the new East Providence Expressway, Route 195, (also part of Route 6 and Route 1A) was opened on December 15, 1959. Cars were waiting on the Providence side of the Washington Bridge for the opening ceremony at 9 a.m. People standing on the Potter St. bridge looked below as the ribbon was cut.

R.I. Governor Del Sesto was not present, but a letter from him was handed to Mayor Marso. The Governor’s letter congratulated the residents and officials. The opening of the freeway marked a giant step in the progress which East Providence and the state of RI had been steadily achieving. The freeway would contribute to safer travel for motorists, promote industrial development in RI, and enhance commercial opportunities and activities in East Providence.

The first E. Prov. citizen to drive on the state's newest super highway was a Warren Ave. grocery store owner named Mr. Manuel Lewis. Vehicles could travel as far as exit 8, the East Shore Expressway. Passing over land that was previously McCormick's quarry, this exit connected to the new Wampanoag Trail. The eastern section of Interstate 195 that we drive today to the Mass. state line did not exist in 1959.

At the next Council meeting, another letter from Governor Del Sesto was read. Governor Del Sesto authorized the council to name the bridges along the expressway in honor of “individual service men and women of East Providence who have sacrificed their lives in World War II or in Korea”. A committee asked the public to submit names of veterans and suggestions for naming the new expressway. In July 1961, the committee report was presented to the council. It contained 28 names and a map of the 14 spans along Route 195. Two names were assigned to each bridge memorial sign. Instead of the proposed bronze plaque, a 2' by 2' flat metal sign on a metal post was installed. On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 1961, a double dedication ceremony was held to name the memorial bridges and to name the freeway as the East Providence Veterans Memorial Expressway (EPVME). Today, 1 or 2 of the original pairs of memorial signs still exist on 5 bridges. In Feb. 2019, it was discovered that 9 bridges are missing memorial signs and the 18 men have been forgotten for over 20 years.

In South Boston, VA, a World War II veteran, Mr. Joe "Bro" Green celebrated his 100th birthday in August 2019. He asks that the soldiers of his generation who liberated Europe from Nazi occupation, that their sacrifices are not forgotten.