Hussey Bridge Will Reopen Early

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—The Clarence L. Hussey Bridge is set to reopen by the end of the day on Saturday after weeks of construction that forced the 13,600 cars that drive over Wickford Cove each day to take alternate routes.

Rhode Island Department of Transportation officials said when the bridge closed April 1 that the bridge would open back up for the summer months to avoid traffic nightmares during peak season when events like the Wickford Art Festival bring thousands to town.

It was expected that the first part of the project would be done on June 25 but the June 4 reopening was possible thanks to "close coordinaton coordination with the community through our project management team," said DOT Director Peter Alviti Jr. 

"Our goal is to keep our projects on time and on budget, and in this case, we've been able to shorten our expected closure time so we can reopen this vital link for the town and for South County sooner and reduce the impact on local residents and businesses," Alviti said.

The bridge, built in 1925, is undergoing an extensive repair project to address its steady deterioration over the years, ultimately leading to its classification as structurally deficient.

The bridge, with its concrete arch and steel railings, has become a symbol for Wickford Village and efforts are being made to preserve its character. All steel parts above the water will be painted graphite to match the original and "all concrete surfaces will receive a special mineral coating that is designed to better withstand natural elements."

Other details, like the tile plaques marking the original contractor who worked on the project and the bridge number (11), are being recreated. The plaques, according to a post on the Wickford Institute Facebook page, are being recreated by ceramics experts at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Work isn't entirely stopped over the summer. The DOT said that crews will focus on things that won't affect traffic, like work under the bridge. Sidewalks will be open and the channel is open to boating traffic. 

There might be brief periods when access it temporarily limited for safety reasons, the DOT said.

The bridge will close again on Sept. 6 and will stay closed until Nov. 16. The project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2017.

The project is first project initiated under the hotly-debated RhodeWorks plan that will help fund a massive 10-year planned overhaul of the state's crumbling infrastructure with an emphasis on bridges. The General Assembly passed RhodeWorks earlier this year.

The first bridge to cross the cove was wooden and its construction many years ago marked a period of economic growth and expansion for North Kingstown. It enabled people to easily cross the cove and led to the construction of Town Hall on the other side of the water, Aliviti said.

"They had their own economic boom as a result of the bridge," Alviti said.

The current bridge was built in 1925 and designed by Hussey, an engineer from MIT, who was one of the first bridge engineers ever employed by the state, Alviti said.

He worked out of the basement of the capitol building and took 40,000 pictures to inventory every bridge in the state. He redesigned many of the wooden bridges dotting the state, which led to the construction of the bridge that has become a town icon.

"'Ole Mr. Hussey sure knew what the hell he was doing," Aliviti said.