Mount Hope Bridge to Close for August Repaving

The Mount Hope Bridge is a vital link between Portsmouth and Bristol, Rhode Island, and an easy and efficient way for many of us SouthCoasters to get to Roger Williams University, Colt State Park, Warren, and some of our favorite waterfront restaurants in the East Bay area.

The Mount Hope Bridge will close to motor vehicle traffic for four days in August to allow the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) to repave the span.

When Will the Mount Hope Bridge Be Closed?

The Town of Bristol website says, "RITBA will close the bridge to all traffic from Thursday, August 14, at 7 p.m. through Monday, August 18, at 5 a.m., weather permitting." If the weather does not cooperate, RITBA will reschedule the work for sometime in September.

Courtesy Aerial New England

RITBA Executive Director Lori Caron Silveira said in a press release, "We appreciate the public's patience as we get this work done."

"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," Silveira said.

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History of the Mount Hope Bridge

The Mount Hope Bridge is a two-lane suspension bridge that spans Mount Hope Bay. Construction on the bridge began on December 1, 1927, and the bridge opened to traffic on October 24, 1929.

The Mount Hope Bridge is 285 feet tall with a total length of 6,130 feet and offers views of the Newport area and into southeastern Massachusetts.

The $5 million Mount Hope Bridge had structural design problems, and portions of the span were rebuilt before it could finally open, five days before the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred.

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