Route 246 begins at an intersection with US 1 in Providence, heading north on four-lane undivided Mill Street.From the southern terminus, the road crosses the Moshassuck River, where the name changes to Charles Street, and passes office buildings, intersecting the southern terminus of Route 7.

Route 246 becomes two-way on Charles Street again and continues through commercial areas, coming to a bridge over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

The route turns north, with a ramp to the northbound direction of the Route 146 freeway to the west, and narrows into a two-lane road that passes through urban residential neighborhoods.

Past this interchange, the road turns north again and enters Lincoln, where it becomes Old Louisquisset Pike.

The road heads northwest through more woodland and residences, curving north and passing to the east of the Community College of Rhode Island Flanagan Campus before crossing Route 123.