The Mount Hope Bridge. WPRO News photo.
WPRO Newsroom and the Associated Press
JAMESTOWN, R.I. (AP) – Transportation officials are warning they may close the Newport Pell and Mount Hope bridges if high winds caused by a blizzard socking the region make them unsafe.
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority says closures could happen late Friday or early Saturday, when the storm is expected to be at its peak.
The authority's chairman, David Darlington, says safety is the highest priority.
Three bridges link Aquidneck Island to the mainland, including the Pell and Mount Hope bridges.
State officials are asking people to stay off the state's roads during the storm.
For detailed forecasts and up-to-the-minute closings and information, visit our Operation Snowball page.
