Sakonnet Bridge Toll Rate Set, Collection To Begin In July

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority voted to establish tolling rates today the Sakonnet River Bridge.

Tolls are expected to be in place on the Sakonnet River Bridge by July, said the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority chairman after the the board established toll rates this morning. Drivers with a Rhode Island E-Z Pass transponder will pay 75 cents to cross the Sakonnet River. Drivers with out-of-state transponders will pay $3.75 per trip and travelers without an E-Z Pass transponder will be billed $5.25 per trip. "For the first time we will be offering a discount for people driving back and forth more than once a day," said David Darlington, RITBA chairman in an interview after the RITBA meeting in Jamestown on Wednesday.  For local drivers, regardless of the number of trips over the Sakonnet River Bridge in a single day, the …

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Chris

10:00 am on Sunday, May 5, 2013

They did say, even if you are a non-state resident, you can purchase a RI EZ-Pass and benefit from the 75 cent toll each way. I purchased mine at the Newport AAA office. It costs $25, but is money well spent.   more ›

SOUND OFF: How Should Tiverton Fight The Sakonnet Bridge Toll

Tiverton STOP met with local legislators and residents on Tuesday night to discuss strategies to block tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge.

Tiverton STOP, a citizens group dedicated to barring tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge met with local legislators and residents on Tuesday night. The state Department on Transportation (DOT) will hold two public hearings next week to learn about potential environmental, traffic and economic threat to the area through the eyes of the community. DOT Director Michael P. Lewis and Gov. Lincoln Chafee have left questions of toll rates and booth placement undefined, and the governor says he is open to other options for increasing revenue for state infrastructure. Do you have a plan? How would you balance the public opposition to tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge and the need to increase revenues to maintain roads and bridges. Tell us in the …

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DOT To Temporarily Close Exit 5 on Route 24 North

During the closure, motorists can reverse direction using Exit 6 (Fish Road) to Route 24 South. Exit 5 will remain open for traffic on Route 24 South.

The following is a press release issued from The Rhode Island Department of Transportation: The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced Thursday that it will temporarily close Exit 5 (Route 138, Main Road) on Route 24 North in Tiverton on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. The closure is needed to allow construction to move forward on Route 24 to align the highway with the new Sakonnet River Bridge, as announced last month.  During the closure, motorists can reverse direction using Exit 6 (Fish Road) to Route 24 South. Exit 5 will remain open for traffic on Route 24 South. RIDOT expects the closure to remain in place for approximately four to six weeks. At that time, in late July, RIDOT intends to shift traffic on Route 24 North…

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Joe Sousa.

8:58 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012

Lincoln Gump 74th. Governor of Rhode Island. Assumed office January 4, 2011 No clue !   more ›

Split Lane Traffic Pattern In Effect On Route 24

It's in place for the morning commute

The following information was supplied by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation: The north and southbound lanes of Route 24 have new traffic patterns this morning, aimed to align the highway to the new Sakonnet River Bridge. On Route 24 southbound both lanes shifted to the right and the right shoulder is closed On Route 24 northbound, a split-lane configuration near Exit 5 (Rte. 138, Main Rd.) is expected to be in place by next week.

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Rep. Reilly Says Says Tolls Would Be An Unfair Tax

Representative Daniel Reilly spoke up against the transfer management of the Sakonnet River Bridge and the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge from RIDOT to RITBA

At a recent hearing of the House Finance Committee Rep. Daniel Reilly spoke out in opposition to a provision in the budget bill, that he said would impose an unfair tax on Aquidneck Island residents.   The freshman Republican was referring to bill, 2012 – H 7323, that if approved, would transfer management of the Sakonnet River Bridge and the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA). “[The state] does not have sufficient financial resources to assure the future maintenance and operation of the Sakonnet River Bridge,” reads the bill. If DOT transferred the bridges over the RITBA, the Sakonnet River Bridge would soon see a toll to cover …

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Gerry Jones

11:31 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012

It should actually read- Tiverton Budget Committee seeks someone who works for us not the TCC. How's that, Joe?   more ›

DOT to Change Route 24 Traffic Patterns Near Sakonnet River Bridge

Changes, beginning Thursday night, are a prelude to opening first segment of the new Sakonnet River Bridge in late summer.

The following is a press release: The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced Thursday that it will temporarily change the traffic patterns on Route 24 near the Sakonnet River Bridge in Tiverton. This is scheduled to begin tonight, Thursday, May 31, 2012 with the new patterns finalized by Tuesday, June 5. This first change will affect motorists on Route 24 South with both lanes shifted to the right and the right shoulder closed by Friday morning, June 1. Motorists on Route 24 North will encounter a split-lane configuration near Exit 5 (Route 138, Main Road) by Tuesday, June 5, with overnight construction planned on Sunday, June 3 and Monday, June 4 for establishment of the new northbound traffic pattern. RIDOT …

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Hay Bale Mess Scatters Colebrook Road DOT Site

A Little Compton resident sent in photos of the mess left behind at the intersection of Colebrook and Stone Church roads after last year's roadwork.

If the Little Compton paving work by the state is completed, why are the remnants left behind? That's what resident Carol Belair asked in an email earlier this week. Out in front of her driveway at the bottom of Colebrook Road where road work began last year by the Department of Transportation (DOT), she said it's a mess. Belair noted an orange can, a chunk of asphalt by the mailboxes, some black plastic near a drainage pipe, poorly seeded grass, and ubiquitous, and apparently smelly, bales of hay. Belair said her friend complained about the hay last fall when the roadwork was completed and told it had to stay through the winter. She also asked why the hay was dumped there and why some drains were blocked off. When asked about Belair's …

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Well Runs Dry At Tiverton Fire Station

The Station #3 well pump stopped working on Monday, and the Town Council made an emergency spending move to connect to the North Tiverton Fire District water line.

When Tiverton firefighters returned to Station #3 on Crandall Road Monday after the early morning boat fire, Lt. Craig Committo said water in the shower stopped running when the guys went to use it. Since then, the station's well remains broken. They are using water from the nearest street hydrant and running it through a garden hose so they can still flush the toilet and wash their equipment. Committo said it could be one or two weeks before they connect to the North Tiverton Fire District water system. In an emergency move, the Town Council approved spending $7,000 out of its contingency fund at Monday night's meeting to connect to the system. On Wednesday Town Administrator Jim Goncalo said it made more sense to spend to connect to town…

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Sakonnet River Bridge 'Best Candidate' For Tolls, Says DOT Director

Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Michael P. Lewis says Gov. Lincoln Chafee's budget proposal calls to hand the Sakonnet River Bridge to the Rhode Island Bridge and Turnpike Authority.

Lack of funds and options for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to generate new revenue is a reason Director Michael P. Lewis pushes for tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge. He went into detail about the situation with East Bay Newspapers. The stance comes at the heels of the Tiverton, Portsmouth and Little Compton town councils passing resolutions to oppose tolls on the bridge. The councils proposed the resolutions in support of legislation from local elected officials to prohibit tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge. Lewis said Gov. Lincoln Chafee's fiscal 2012-13 budget proposal calls to transfer ownership of the Sakonnet Rvier Bridge to the Rhode Island Bridge and Turnpike Authority. Area residents, too, have opposed the …

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BD

6:55 am on Saturday, June 9, 2012

The TCC/TC has pretty much made Tiverton the laughing stock of of the region. Until the town council gets thier act together, don't expect anyone else to bail us out.   more ›

New Little Compton Town Sign Installed

With the help of the Sogkonate and Tiverton garden clubs, the DOT and Little Compton's maintenance department, the town sign on West Main Road replaced a damaged one last fall.