Lane Closure Planned For Bristol's Silver Creek Bridge

BRISTOL, RI — A busy Bristol bridge will partially close to drivers in the current weeks as crews begin to demolish and replace it ahead of the busy summer season. The single-lane closure will be removed before the Bristol Fourth of July Parade, which always brings heavy traffic to the area.

The closure will go into effect on the northbound lane of the Silver Creek Bridge on Hope Street (Route 114) starting March 2. The closure will remain in place through mid-June as crews replace part of the structurally deficient bridge.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation recommends that drivers avoid the closure by detouring along Metacom Avenue (Route 136) to Chestnut Street for through traffic, while local traffic can take Hope Street, High Street and Bayview Avenue to connect with the Metacom Avenue detour. Southbound traffic will not be affected by the closure.

The lane will reopen in time for the Bristol Fourth of July Parade, going back into place on July 6. The project is expected to be finished by Aug. 28, with the final construction set to be complete by fall. To encourage early completion of the project, RIDOT is offering the contractor an incentive.

The lane closure schedule and detour were developed to impact Bristol residents, workers and business owners as little as possible while construction is underway. Originally, the plan was to completely close the bridge, but residents argued that it would hurt local businesses.

The Silver Creek Bridge, built in 1922, is posted at 17 tons. While it's only 16 feet long, it is one of the main access routes to downtown Bristol. Because it is structurally deficient, it must be replaced, the department said.