The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) is pleased to announce that the first sequence of the deck repair project on the Newport Pell Bridge is expected to be complete this week. This comes nearly three weeks ahead of its scheduled completion of mid-December. This work, which began in early August, consisted of a partial depth hydro demolition and replacement of the concrete roadway deck for 4,500 ft. in the westbound travel lane of the East Approach between spans 2E and 22E. The contractor removed the concrete deck down to the rebar and fresh concrete has been poured. This work required permanent lane closures and a unique traffic pattern to lessen traffic congestion.
During the winter months, there will not be any hydro demolition or concrete work due to the temperatures. As a result there will not be any permanent lane closures on the bridge. However, there will be ongoing maintenance work associated with other projects which will require periodic lane closures during non-rush hours as well as some nights. Overweight vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) over 80,000 pounds will be allowed to cross the bridge during this time with a valid permit from the Authority. The second sequence of the hydro-demolition project is scheduled to begin in March 2020.
To plan your commute and access up-to-date information on construction activity and real-time traffic, visit RITBA’s website at RITBA.org. This site provides the latest information concerning lane closures, construction activity and traffic delays for the Newport Pell, Jamestown Verrazzano, Mount Hope and Sakonnet River Bridges, in addition to the RT. 138 Connector.
