The Mount Hope Bridge was dedicated and opened on October 24, 1929 and therefore is 90 years old, Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority (RITBA) wrote today in a press release.
To mark this occasion the RITBA announced that they will have red, white and blue lighting on the bridge from Thursday, October 24th through Sunday, October 27th.
The Mount Hope Bridge is a two-lane suspension bridge connecting the towns of Bristol and Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The total length of the bridge is 6,130 feet. The length of the main span is 1,200 feet. The bridge towers are 285 feet tall. When built, the bridge was innovative in its design and construction. It was one of the first bridges to use artistic lighting and also one of the first bridges to introduce color in bridge design.
The Mount Hope Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in New England for 40 years until the Newport Pell Bridge was completed in 1969.
The bridge carries approximately 15,000 vehicles per day. The bridge cost $4,200,000 to construct. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The bridge is constantly monitored by the RITBA and regularly subject to numerous types of engineering inspections and analysis. Over the years, the bridge has undergone substantial renovations and maintenance.
“The Mount Hope Bridge is truly historic, critically important, and has served us well during the last 90 years. It is appropriate for Rhode islanders to take a moment to reflect on this engineering marvel and to celebrate its 90th birthday,” said Buddy Croft, Executive Director of the RITBA in the press release.