U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined U.S. Reps. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and David Cicilline (D-RI) Monday to celebrate an $82.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to modernize the Pell Bridge between Newport and Jamestown, Rhode Island.
The funding, part of the INFRA grant program, would upgrade the bridge with improvements to the deck, cable suspension system, and towers that are estimated to extend the life of the bridge by 50 to 75 years. The bridge is the longest suspension bridge in New England and carries four lanes of traffic across Narragansett Bay.
“The Newport Pell Bridge is a critical asset that gets a lot of wear and tear from traffic and the elements. This federal funding will help RITBA (the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority) keep it in tip-top shape for years to come. I was pleased to help kick-start the bridge ramp realignment project with a $20 million federal grant in 2018. This latest infusion of federal funding will help refurbish and maintain the bridge, improve safety, and extend its lifespan,” Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), said.
Damage due to climate change has exacerbated the need for repairs, the legislators said. Severe storms, more frequent use of salt, and other weather-related treatments has accelerated the loss of pavement quality, while increased humidity has accelerated the deterioration of the cables, suspenders, and other elements of the suspension system. Funding will be used to put in new, denser, more resilient paving materials and a dehumidification system that will reduce moisture levels on the cables and anchorages, slowing the corrosion process.
Funding will also be used to install acoustic monitoring that will provide information about bridge conditions, while additional cameras and sensors will improve security. Repairs will also be made to the tower elevators and finger joints.
“This enormous federal grant will prepare the Ocean State’s most iconic bridge for at least another half-century of use amid a changing climate,” said Whitehouse. “It’s a major job-creating investment in Rhode Island’s economic future – the third such investment our state has received from the INFRA Program.”