Portsmouth Building Inspector Issues Stop-Work Order Near Toll System

The town of Portsmouth's building inspector issued a "stop-work order" on part of the new Sakonnet River Bridge's toll system this past Friday, reports The Sakonnet Times. 

According to the article, the order was issued on a structure connected to the new toll gantry, which was installed just before the Memorial Day weekend. It is unknown if the order is for the gantry itself. 

The order was issued due a lack of electrical permit, reports The Sakonnet Times. 

The open-road toll system will take several weeks to test, but bridge tolls are expected to begin this July. 

Meanwhile, several towns have joined Portsmouth's lawsuit against several defendants, including the state's Department of Transportation director and the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority. 

The lawsuit accuses the RITBA and Michael Lewis, director of the DOT, of violating the Federal-Aid Highway Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.