Construction on New Pell Bridge Permanent Median Begins March 16

A long-sought permanent median on the Claiborne Pell Bridge will start to be constructed on March 16, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced.

Construction will last for several weeks and should be wrapped up by mid-May.

Aetna Bridge Company won the $5.9 million contract to erect the permanent barrier, which will consist of more than 3,600 individual linked concrete sections that will be made specifically for the project. Similar to concrete medians used for shifting HOV and carpool lanes, the movable design offers both flexibility and safety, the bridge authority said in a release.

Under the terms of the contract, Aetna Bridge Company will incur financial penalties if there are project delays. They also will conduct semi-annual maintenance of the barrier.

The RITBA hired consulting engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff to help develop the bid specs and review the proposals from bidders. Aetna Bridge Company was ultimately recommended by the firm.

The Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly referred to as the Newport Bridge, is a globally-recognizable Rhode Island icon. So RITBA took efforts to not disturb the bridge’s esthetics. The barrier will be “Newport Blue” to match the existing color of the bridge and if color testing “does not produce a suitable color, RITBA could decide to eliminate any color dye in the concrete,” a fact sheet released by RITBA states.

Yellow reflective tape will be placed on the bottom of the barriers.

The linked sections will be anchored on both ends of the bridge and all 3,260 must be fabricated before installation begins.

The decision to install a permanent concrete came after sustained and strong lobbying by numerous residents calling for improved safety measures on the bridge, including the group Citizens United for Bridge Safety, which has led a concerted effort to make it clear that the median is needed to prevent more head-on collisions and fatalities. The bridge has been the scene of countless head-on collisions over the years, notably last winter, when an elderly driver crossed the center line and crashed into a 25-year-old Warwick man head on. The elderly man died and the Warwick man was seriously injured.

There have been three fatalities on the bridge in the last three years.

The turnpike authority installed a temporary median earlier this year, made up of orange poles that can’t prevent collisions but were designed to serve as a warning to drivers who might be crossing the line.

Photo Rendering courtesy: Rhode Island Bridge and Turnpike Authority