Latest news with #RITBA
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Traffic Alert: Mount Hope Bridge to close for 5 days in August. What to know
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced that a resurfacing project on the Mount Hope Bridge has been scheduled for Aug. 14-18, weather permitting. The Mount Hope Bridge will be closed to all traffic from 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, and will reopen on Monday, Aug 18, at 5 a.m. "We appreciate the public's patience as we get this work done," said Lori Caron Silveira, executive director of the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority said in a statement. "We know that everyone will welcome a smoother ride over the bridge and hope that the advance notice will help people make their plans to seek alternate routes for that weekend. We have been working closely with leaders and first responders in Bristol and Portsmouth and are ready to address challenges as they arise." Here's a look at what to know about the closure. The road surface will be milled and then an ultra-thin bonded overlay will be applied from curb to curb to make a smooth surface. Weather permitting, the Mount Hope Bridge will be closed from Thursday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. until Monday, Aug. 18, at 5 a.m. If there is severe weather, the project will be rescheduled for a weekend in September. The bridge will be closed to all traffic. RITBA has been collaborating with Bristol and Portsmouth town leaders and first responders to ensure good communication about the timing and detours related to this work. The new surface will last approximately five years. Redecking the entire bridge (which was last done in 1985) is part of RITBA's capital projects in the coming years. For additional information, please visit and follow on Facebook, X, and Instagram. This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Mount Hope Bridge closure planned in August for resurfacing project
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
R.I. Turnpike & Bridge Authority to pay $515K for State Police patrols over three years
A member of the Rhode Island State Police is shown at the start of the Newport St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Janine L. Weisman/Rhode Island Current) Rhode Island State Police will continue 24/7 patrols of the four bridges owned by the Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority (RITBA) for another three years, according to an agreement reached between the two agencies in mid-June. The memorandum of understanding calls for RITBA to pay the base salaries of two troopers through the end of June 2028 to assist with speed enforcement, potential vehicle collisions, and preventing deaths by suicide. Under the new contract, the authority will pay about $515,000 to the State Police, with payments scheduled on a quarterly basis over the three-year period. A similar agreement was first reached by the RITBA and the State Police in 2021, though a copy was not immediately made available. At the time, the Newport Daily News reported that a speed study by RITBA found 29% of drivers were traveling at least 15 miles per hour over the limit on the Pell and Jamestown Verrazzano bridges. Then–State Police Superintendent Col. James Manni told RITBA's board in October 2021 that 'a gray cruiser is the biggest deterrent we have in the state right now,' according to the meeting minutes. How much RITBA will pay the Rhode Island State Police Year 1 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026): $165,417 Year 2 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027): $172,034 Year 3 (July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028): $177,195 The amount is equivalent to the salaries of two 'less senior' officers who will be assigned to posts covering the Pell, Mount Hope, Jamestown Verrazzano, and Sakonnet River bridges — along with Route 138 through Jamestown and the 10 smaller bridges associated with the state highway. State Police will determine which troopers are assigned to patrol RITBA bridges, with day-to-day rotations likely. Only one trooper will be assigned to the bridges at a time per shift. One trooper is scheduled to patrol the bridges from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., while the other works from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m., said Lt. Col. Robert Creamer, the State Police deputy superintendent and chief of field operations. In addition to 24-hour patrols, State Police enforce weight restrictions on the Mount Hope and Pell bridges at least bi-weekly. The Pell Bridge, which was constructed in 1969, has a weight limit of 80,000 pounds, but vehicles weighing up to 160,000 pounds can cross if they are given a permit. No vehicles over 60,000 pounds are allowed to cross the Mount Hope Bridge, which was built in 1929. Under the new contract, RITBA may provide office space for troopers if available. The closest State Police facility to the authority's Jamestown office near the Pell Bridge is the Wickford Barracks in North Kingstown. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
