Sakonnet River Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Sakonnet River Bridge is a four-lane truss bridge
spanning the Sakonnet River
in eastern Rhode Island
. The bridge carries RI 24 and RI 138 between the communities of Portsmouth
and Tiverton, Rhode Island
. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced by an updated design, with construction work scheduled to finish in 2011.
The Sakonnet River Bridge was built in 1956 as a replacement for the Stone Bridge
, about 0.8 mi (1.3 km) to the south, destroyed during Hurricane Carol
in August 1954. It became part of RI 24 during the 1960s after the completion of the Portsmouth and Tiverton Expressways. At one point, it was briefly considered for inclusion as part of the never-built Interstate 895.
Bicycles are not permitted on this bridge.
The bridge is closed to heavy commercial vehicles weighing over 18 tons. Vehicles over this weight limit are rerouted over the Mount Hope bridge via RI 136/114.
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
spanning the Sakonnet River
Sakonnet River
The Sakonnet River is a tidal strait, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 23 km between Mount Hope Bay and Rhode Island Sound...
in eastern Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The bridge carries RI 24 and RI 138 between the communities of Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
and Tiverton, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced by an updated design, with construction work scheduled to finish in 2011.
The Sakonnet River Bridge was built in 1956 as a replacement for the Stone Bridge
Stone Bridge (Rhode Island)
The Stone Bridge was a bridge built in 1907 in Rhode Island that carried RI 138 over the Sakonnet River between Portsmouth and Tiverton. It was destroyed by Hurricane Carol in 1954, and replaced in 1956 by the Sakonnet River Bridge, located 0.8 mi to the north.-History:According to the...
, about 0.8 mi (1.3 km) to the south, destroyed during Hurricane Carol
Hurricane Carol
Hurricane Carol was among the worst tropical cyclones to affect the New England region of the United States. It developed from a tropical wave near the Bahamas on August 25, 1954, and gradually strengthened as it moved northwestward. On August 27, Carol intensified to reach winds of , but weakened...
in August 1954. It became part of RI 24 during the 1960s after the completion of the Portsmouth and Tiverton Expressways. At one point, it was briefly considered for inclusion as part of the never-built Interstate 895.
Bicycles are not permitted on this bridge.
The bridge is closed to heavy commercial vehicles weighing over 18 tons. Vehicles over this weight limit are rerouted over the Mount Hope bridge via RI 136/114.
Replacement
By the late 1990s, the Sakonnet River Bridge's design had become obsolete, and transportation planners began to develop a plan for the bridge's future. In 2003, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation announced plans for a $120 million (USD) replacement bridge to be built just south of the existing bridge. Groundbreaking for the new bridge took place in April 2009, and the bridge is expected to open in 2012. Rhode Island Based Commonwealth Engineering and Consultants is the lead designer. Cardi Corp. won the bid to build starting in 2009.External links
- Web site containing engineering impact documents for the replacement of the Sakonnet River Bridge.