Restrooms Remain Open During Welcome Center Closure

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA 

January 10th 2026 

RICHMOND – The Rhode Island Welcome Center on Interstate 95 closed Wednesday for renovations, but public restrooms will still be available at the facility, which is located on Interstate 95 between Exit 4 in Hopkinton and Exit 7 in Richmond. 

A press release issued by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation on Dec. 29 states that the tourist information center will also be moved to a temporary location. 

“RIDOT is also relocating the tourist information center to a temporary trailer with security personnel next to the temporary restrooms. These facilities will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Limited vending machines will be available during construction.”  

The renovation, which is part of the RhodeWorks infrastructure improvement program, is expected to cost $4.1 million The facility will remain closed until the late fall of 2026.  

The work will include upgrades to plumbing and electrical systems, a new well and pump station, and new restrooms.  

“Other improvements include new flooring, interior painting, a new welcome/greeter desk and countertop area, and upgraded security systems,” the RIDOT press release states. “The Welcome Center will continue to stock tourism information for various regions of Rhode Island.” 

The Welcome Center is a popular stop, with about 180,000 people visiting each year.  

“The Welcome Center is a well-used resource for travelers, particularly during the busy summer tourism season,” RIDOT’s Chief Public Affairs Officer Charles St. Martin said. “We’re proceeding with the much-needed restroom renovations and have installed temporary restroom facilities for the public to use while we complete our work.” 

 The center opened in 1989 but was closed from 2012 to 2016. The state has made numerous improvements to the facility since it reopened, including a new roof, landscaping, interior and exterior painting and the “addition of security personnel 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”  

(The facility was previously open only during the day.)