Pell Median Construction Finished Early

Well, that was fast.

The permanent, concrete median on the Claiborne Pell Bridge that connects Newport to Jamestown is fully constructed — twice as soon as originally estimated.

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced Tuesday that the project was completed; all 3,600 linked concrete segments were in place and road work on the bridge connectors was done.

The project was originally projected to take 12 weeks to complete, but crews managed to get the job done in just six between St. Patrick’s Day and the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race “with only minimal lane restrictions and no bridge closures.”

RITBA initially anticipated periodic closures of the entire bridge but managed to keep it open the entire time.

A study before the construction showed the “bridge was as strong as originally built and could handle the additional weight of a permanent median barrier system,” the turnpike authority said.

The design chosen was an interlocking concrete block system that was anchored on either end of the bridge but not to the deck itself. This system allows the blocks to “give” when impacted by a motor vehicle and lessens the chance for the vehicle to be deflected back into traffic. The median barrier will also help prevent crossover accidents from occurring on the bridge deck.

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.