Traffic & Transit
Pell Bridge Traffic Nearly Back To Pre-Pandemic Levels
In October, more than 922,000 vehicles crossed the bridge, nearly as many as the same month in 2019.
NEWPORT, RI — Traffic levels on the Newport Pell Bridge rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, the Rhode Island Bridge and Turnpike Authority said.
In October, 922,973 vehicles crossed the bridge, the most recorded since the coronavirus pandemic started in March 2020, the RITBA said. That same month in 2020, just 752,137 vehicles crossed the bridge, compared to 970,205 in October 2019.
"Traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and our open road tolling lanes were operational weeks ahead of schedule after our successful transition to all-electronic tolling," Lori Caron Silveira, the RITBA's executive director.
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The transition to all-electronic tolling was completed last month. There are currently more than 330,000 active E-ZPass transponders, the RITBA said. Since the transition, all traffic flows through two open-road tolling lanes heading in each direction.
"We ask motorists to continue to use caution through the Pell toll plaza area and obey all posted
speed limits on all the bridges," Caron Silveira continued.
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