Two bridges on East Bay Bike Path closed due to deterioration

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is closing two wooden-decked bridges on the East Bay Bike Path after a recent analysis found "deterioration to the supports for the sidewalks on either side of both bridges which span the Barrington and Palmer rivers. The closings are effective immediately, RIDOT announced Friday.
 
The closures do not affect the use of the bridges for cyclists for the 14.5-mile bike path which runs from Providence to Bristol, just walkers who use the sidewalk. RIDOT will place barrels and signage indicating that the sidewalks on the bridge are closed. Just as on other sections of the bike path, pedestrians and cyclists must share the path. Additionally, the vehicular bridges adjacent to both bike path bridges have sidewalks on both sides for pedestrian use.
 
Following the sidewalk closures, RIDOT will further analyze the bridges to determine the feasibility of making repairs and to determine an expected timetable for the duration of the closures. The bridges were last repaired as part of the second contract to build the East Bay Bike Path, a segment from County Road in Barrington to Franklin Street in Warren, in 1990.