Rhode Island Route 103
State highway in Rhode Island, US
Route 103 is a numbered state highway running 11.8 miles (19.0 km) in Rhode Island, United States. It runs from Interstate 195 (I-195) in East Providence to the Massachusetts state line in the town of Warren, where the road continues as Massachusetts Route 103. Route 103 is a major commercial corridor in East Providence.
Route description
Route 103 begins at the eastbound Exit 1D off-ramp of I-195 in East Providence, running along Warren Avenue until the intersection with Route 114. Route 103 turns south with Route 114 along Pawtucket Avenue, with Route 114 soon separating. Route 103 continues south then veers to the southeast along Willett Avenue as it heads towards the town of Barrington. In Barrington, it continues east as County Road, then meets with and overlaps Route 114 for a second time as the routes cross the Barrington and Palmer rivers into the town of Warren. Route 103 separates from Route 114 along Child Street as it continues east towards the Massachusetts state line, where the road continues as Massachusetts Route 103.
History
Route 103 was an original route assigned in 1923. It used to be much longer, extending 38 miles (61 km) through Providence and along present-day Route 14 to Connecticut, where it used to continue as Route 103.
The public source identifies “Rhode Island Route 103” as state highway in Rhode Island, US. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Rhode, Island and Route.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Rhode Island Route 103”, the useful work is to connect “state highway in Rhode Island, US” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 15, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q823534. Authority coordinates are 41.775, -71.355. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1923.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Rhode Island Route 103”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Rhode Island Route 103 primary sources, Rhode Island Route 103 archive and Rhode research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Rhode Island Route 103”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Rhode Island Route 103” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.