The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority imposed Level I wind restrictions on the Newport Pell, Mount Hope and Jamestown Verrazzano bridges at about 5:55 a.m. Saturday, barring box trucks, trailers, house trailers and RVs as a nor’easter moved across the region.
Law enforcement can turn back other vehicles at their discretion, and drivers denied passage will be helped in turning around.
Block Island ferry service was cancelled Friday, with disruptions expected to continue into Saturday, according to the Associated Press. Ferries between Cape Cod and the islands were also widely cancelled, and more than 200 flights in and out of Boston, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and New York were scrubbed Friday with more cancellations set for Saturday.
The National Weather Service expects the strongest winds near the coast. Peak gusts of 60 to 65 mph were forecast for Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket into Saturday, with roughly 50 to 55 mph around Boston and 35 to 40 mph farther inland, AP reported. Meteorologist Matthew Belk of the weather service office in Norton, Massachusetts, said impacts will be greatest closest to the water.
Belk noted a particular risk this early in the fall: leaves are still on the trees, adding wind resistance and raising the chance of downed limbs, power outages and debris in roads.
Thousands of customers were already without power along the East Coast by Friday night, and flooding had begun in coastal New Jersey communities, AP reported.
Rhode Island Energy said Friday it was fully staffed with additional crews on standby. Outages can be reported at rienergy.com/outage, by texting OUTAGE to 743674, or by calling 1-855-743-1101.
Updates on bridge restrictions are posted at ritba.org and at @riezpass on X.
