Mount Hope Bridge reopens

BRISTOL, R.I. — The Mount Hope Bridge is back open.

Closed Thursday night for resurfacing, the 95-year-old bridge connecting Bristol and Portsmouth reopened Saturday night.

The new surface is expected to last about five years, giving drivers a smoother ride over one of Rhode Island’s historic landmarks.

During the closure, workers removed the aging road surface and applied an ultra-thin bonded overlay designed to provide a smoother, safer ride and extend the bridge’s surface life by about five years.

The resurfacing is part of a larger plan to eventually redeck the bridge, a major capital project that hasn’t been done since 1985.

While officials insist the bridge remains safe, they have declined to release the most recent inspection report, raising concerns among residents and commuters who depend on the nearly century-old span every day.

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.

Mount Hope Bridge reopens.