Former Tiverton Woman Organizes Rally Against Tolls

Portsmouth resident Jeanne Smith is doing her part to fight the proposed tolls on the Sakonnet River Bridge.

After circulating dozens of petitions at local businesses throughout Newport County and gaining hundreds of signatures, Smith will hold a rally on Friday in Portsmouth that she said will give visibility to those opposing the tolls. Smith, a former Tiverton resident, now lives in the north end of Portsmouth, but still owns property in Tiverton and crosses either the Sakonnet or Newport bridges daily.

The rally is slated to be held during the Friday, Aug. 10 taping of the WPRO's Buddy Cianci Show at from 3-6 p.m. Smith said demonstrators should grab their signs and gather in the parking lot.

"This has nothing to do with Buddy Cianci, but I figured maybe he could talk to us for five minutes, I thought it would be a good time to rally " said Smith. "There is a lot of traffic that goes by there at that time - Raytheon gets out at that time - so I figured it would give us some good vision."

Smith urges toll opposers to make signs, T-shirts, and anything else that will make some noise against the tolls on the $163.7 million replacement bridge.

While the state Department of Transportation will open the bridge to traffic later this month, the state Turnpike and Bridge Authority is on track to impose the tolls next summer. Out-of-state drivers would pay $4 and in-state EZ Pass holders would be charged 83 cents each way, the same fare as Newport's Claiborne Pell Bridge.