A close look at the planned maintenance of the Mt Hope Bridge as it approaches its 100th anniversary will be presented at the Bosworth Lecture Series on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Rogers Free Library. The event is free and open to the public.

Executive Director of the RI Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) Lori Caron Silveira and Director of Engineering Eric Seabury will detail the $27 million infrastructure investment now under way to preserve this RI landmark.

The presentation will provide an overview of the historic bridge, the ongoing cable and anchorage dehumidification project and how this technology helps protect the suspension system and extends its life. 

Ms Silveira said her presentation will cover how RITBA maintains the 97 year-old structure and how the dehumidification system works. It will relate other invest-ments to maintain the bridge for future generations and preserve one of Rhode Island’s most iconic bridges.

She said professional assessments indicate that with appropriate maintenance and rehabilitation the Mount Hope Bridge can remain in service for another 50 to 75 years.  Replacing the bridge would likely cost more than $2 billion in today's dollars before inflation during a decades-long process, she said.

Lori began on the Board of Directors of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) in January 2023 and currently serves as a vice president. She is a member of IBTTA’s Government Affairs and Membership Committees. In addition, she chairs the Legal Committee of the E-ZPass Group.  She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and earned her law degree from Boston University School of Law. 

Eric R. Seabury, P.E., has served as Director of Engineering for the RITBA since September 2020.  Prior to RITBA, Mr. Seabury served as Assistant Vice President of Engineering for the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) for nearly 14 years.   Mr. Seabury earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. His career spans more than three decades of engineering, project management, and public infrastructure experience.

The Roswell S. Bosworth Jr. Lecture Series is presented by the Men's Club, a local organization that pays tribute to its founding member, former editor and publisher of the East Bay Newspapers, with lectures of interest to the public. Upcoming lecture: November 12 – Capt. Tavis Long, CO of Naval Chaplaincy School at USNWC.