Pell Bridge Will get a Concrete Median Barrier

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority voted unanimously on Wednesday to install a permanent median barrier on the Claiborne Pell Bridge.

The vote comes after sustained and strong lobbying by numerous residents calling for improved safety measures on the bridge, including the group Citizens United for Bridge Safety, which has led a concerted effort to make it clear that the median is needed to prevent more head-on collisions and fatalities.

The turnpike authority's vote paves the way for a flexible barrier made of concrete blocks to be installed in the center of the bridge, dividing east and west travel lanes.

The blocks are similar to those used on Interstate 93 in Boston, which can move with specialized equipment to shift an HOV lane from north to south each day.

On the Pell bridge, the barrier would stay put, but it was chosen because it will be easy to install and won't require significant anchoring or structural procedures, officials said.

The installation will probably begin by next year.

Calls for improved safety comes after a series of fatal head-on collisions, most recently last winter, when an elderly driver crossed the center line and crashed into a 25-year-old Warwick man head on. The elderly man died and the Warwick man was seriously injured.

There have been three fatalities on the bridge in the last three years.

The turnpike authority installed a temporary median earlier this year, made up of orange poles that can't prevent collisions but were designed to serve as a warning to drivers who might be crossing the line.