RITBA announces new renewal and replacement plan

THE R.I. TURNPIKE and Bridge Authority has released its 10-year plan for repair and maintenance of the four bridges it is responsible for: the Newport Pell Bridge, the Mount Hope Bridge, the Jamestown Verrazano Bridge and the Sakonnet River Bridge. The plan is estimated to cost $223.4 million over the decade.
THE R.I. TURNPIKE and Bridge Authority has released its 10-year plan for repair and maintenance of the four bridges it is responsible for: the Newport Pell Bridge, the Mount Hope Bridge, the Jamestown Verrazano Bridge and the Sakonnet River Bridge. The plan is estimated to cost $223.4 million over the decade.

(Updated, 8:10 a.m., Aug. 12)
JAMESTOWN – The board of directors for the R.I. Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced Thursday it had voted to approve the 2017 Ten-Year Renewal and Replacement Plan.

In prepared remarks, Buddy Croft, executive director of RITBA said, “our No. 1 priority … is safety.”

He added: “We maintain four bridges that sit in salt water and are critical to commerce, tourism and the quality of life of the people that use them. It is extremely important that we remain vigilant, maintain and extend the life of these bridges so the motoring public knows they are safe. This is an expensive undertaking but these are costs we must incur.”

Over the coming decade the plan is estimated to spend $223.4 million overall for work on the bridges and connecting roadways at an average of $22 million each year. RITBA will fund the plan through ongoing toll revenue and its share of the state gasoline tax, 3.5 cents per gallon. The organization will use bonding authority as needed to manage the finances of the project.

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The budget breakdown of the project details that 52 percent of funding will be spent on the Newport Pell Bridge, 23 percent on the Mount Hope Bridge, 12 percent on the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge, 6 percent on the Sakonnet River Bridge, 3 percent on the Route 138 connector and 4 percent on RITBA facilities.

Developed through a comprehensive review of RITBA-owned assets, the review process for the Ten-Year Plan included hands-on inspections, surveys and assessments of critical bridge elements performed in compliance with National Bridge Inspection Standards by RITBA staff as well as consulting engineering firms.

The plan is updated regularly as part of RIBTA’s ongoing asset management program.

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