The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, its engineers, and contractor J.H. Lynch did a commendable job resurfacing the Mt. Hope Bridge last Friday and Saturday, and completing the job 33 hours ahead of schedule. Yes, they were helped by good weather and the good fortune of not encountering any roadblocks or issues during the project, but their planning and execution should get most of the credit.

It’s not the first time in recent memory that RITBA has outperformed expectations. In May of last year, lane restrictions were imposed due to a cable air flow testing project, part of the larger cable dehumidification project that will extend the life of the bridge 50-75 years. That project was completed a full two weeks ahead of time, which RITBA Executive Director Lori Caron Silveira credited to the efficient work of their contractor.

Still, the shutdown, however brief, highlighted some concerns for local businesses, given that we face an extended shutdown in about 5 years for the re-decking of the bridge. A survey of just a handful of local businesses revealed significant disruption to their normal operations. Bristol Bagel Works said Saturday was very slow, and Sunday, though less so, was still down, probably due to people not anticipating an open bridge. Blithewold also reported low numbers on Sunday, though Saturday, which included a wedding, was strong. And the Lobster Pot noted that business all weekend was significantly slower than usual.

Though bridge maintenance is unavoidable, this past weekend should serve as an opportunity for Bristol’s business community to plan some strategies to help weather the impact of losing the business of over-the-bridge customers when the re-decking project gets underway.