To the editor:

Do you get a little nervous driving over the Mt. Hope Bridge (MHB)? How do you think your grandchildren and great grandchildren will feel driving over the same bridge in 2079?

2079, you say? Well, that is the plan as articulated by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA). They have indicated that the recently commenced dehumidification and coming bridge re-decking projects will extend the life of the bridge by 50-75 years. 

The MHB opened in 1929. It’s approaching the century mark. In 2079, it will be 150 years old. Drive over a 150-year-old bridge? Sounds absurd, right? Not to RITBA.

Is it safe today? I hope so, but we don’t know for sure as RITBA and TSA are continuing to withhold the most recent bridge inspection report.

Is it functionally obsolete? Well, let’s see. It was built for the traffic needs of the pre-World War II 20th century and today handles over 7 million cars a year. It has only one lane in each direction, no breakdown lanes, no lanes for emergency vehicles or bus transit, no bike or pedestrian lanes, no jump/suicide protection, and has strict weight restrictions. 

Lane closures and lengthy backups are commonplace for routine maintenance and more significant projects. This is more than a recurring inconvenience, it is a risk to public safety and a detriment to the economies of Bristol, Portsmouth and the broader East Bay. 

There are currently daily lane closures for the dehumidification project. RITBA has indicated that periodic lane closures will be needed through completion in March 2028. Replacing the bridge deck is planned in the coming years. In 1986, the last time this was done, the bridge was closed for six months.

RITBA tells us these two projects will extend the life of the bridge. On the contrary, I’d suggest these projects are a band aid to a terminal illness and don’t address what Rhode Islanders truly need: public infrastructure built for the 21st century.

Where is the board of RITBA on the strategic planning process needed to contemplate the need for a new bridge? The recent comprehensive study on renovation or replacement of the Cape Cod bridges (opened in 1935) resulted in a clear decision to replace them. And a comprehensive project has been launched to get that accomplished.

RITBA’s board should proactively assess the functional obsolescence of the MHB and, if one can reasonably expect, the results point to replacement, get moving on it. 

Do we want another Washington Bridge scenario where everything is fine until it’s not? We cannot afford to again be caught flat footed with no replacement plan in place and take the better part of a decade to design and build a new bridge. Such a scenario would be devastating to the lives of residents and the economy of the communities in East Bay.

Push RITBA to act to get this critical issue on their agenda. Not in 2079. Now. Do it for yourself. Do it for your community. More importantly, do it for your grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Richard E. Fournier

Bristol