Mount Hope Bridge gets $17 million in federal funds to extend lifespan

BRISTOL, R.I. — The Mount Hope Bridge, which opened in 1929, is set to receive a $17 million grant from the federal government to preserve the structure.

The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s PROTECT program, will support a dehumidification system aimed at preventing corrosion in the bridge’s steel cables and anchorages. The goal is to significantly extend the lifespan of the nearly 100-year-old suspension bridge, which connects Bristol and Portsmouth.

The project is part of a broader effort to make Rhode Island’s infrastructure more resilient and climate-adapted. Officials say the work could help keep the bridge in service for another 50 to 75 years.

In addition to the preservation project, the Mount Hope Bridge is also scheduled to close for several days in August for resurfacing work.

This new information comes after the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) recently refused to release an inspection report on the bridge.