Advocates Call For Temporary Barriers On East Bay Bridges

NEWPORT, RI — A local advocacy group is calling for temporary barriers to be installed on East Bay bridges. The group, Bridging the Gap for Healing and Safety, said that the safety of pedestrians and workers is the highest priority.

Bryan Ganley, the organization's cofounder, said the goal is to have "zero injuries," and that falls would not be tolerated by Rhode Island Department of Transportation workers, so they shouldn't be a possibility for the Turnpike and Bridge Authority, either.

"Falls would be prevented through the installation of temporary barriers and employee equipment designed to prevent falls, injuries and deaths," Ganley said. "But if something were to go wrong, the project would not be allowed to continue until the cause was thoroughly investigated and mitigated through proper protections."

The organization is calling for temporary barriers to be installed on the Pell, Sakonnet River, Mount Hope and Jamestown bridges, allowing state leaders the time to come up with a more permanent solution.

A partition circulated by the organization garnered more than 4,000 signatures, and both Rep. Joseph Solomon and Sen. Louis DiPalma have voiced their support, the organization said.

Melissa Cotta, the organization's other cofounder, said the public has spoken out in favor of the measure.

"The comments written on the petition in support of barriers are heartbreaking," Cotta said. "The comments bear witness to just a fraction of what the families, friends, neighbors, co-workers and first responders experience, not only when a death from a bridge occurs, but for a lifetime."

Learn more from the organization's petition.