Mount HOpe Bridge

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) has announced that the maximum vehicle weight allowed on the Mount Hope Bridge will be reduced from 40 tons to 30 tons as of December 29, 2022.

The change is necessary due to updates in the Federal Highway Administration’s load rating manual and an “as-built” design factor that has been in place since the bridge opened in 1929. The as-built factor refers to the outside girders of the bridge, some of which were reinforced with steel plates approximately 50 years ago.

The weight reduction is not related to any issues with the bridge’s maintenance or the upcoming dehumidification project. RITBA is working with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to identify detour routes for drivers affected by the change and is also reaching out to affected municipalities and commercial enterprises to ensure that emergency vehicles and freight carriers are aware of the new weight limit posting.

Update

On January 6, RITBA issued a correction regarding these changes;

Changes to federal guidelines necessitate change in maximum vehicle weight allowance on Mount Hope Bridge for some vehicles

As of December 29, 2022, the maximum vehicle weight allowed on the Mount Hope Bridge was changed from 40 tons to 30 tons for certain vehicles with 6 or more axles. The reduction is due primarily to changes in federal guidelines on how bridges are load-rated. 

“After additional research, we learned that the change in the tonnage allowance would apply only to specific trucks with 6 or more axles,” said Lori Caron Silveira, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority. “There are few of these trucks on Rhode Island roads so the change will apply to very few users. We apologize for any confusion.”

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