According to Fall River Reporter, a bill (H 6002) introduced last week by ten Rhode Island House members would require the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) to convey designs of safety barriers or nets for the Mount Hope, Claiborne Pell and Jamestown Verrazzano Bridges to the legislature no later than January 1, 2024. It would further require construction to begin no later than June 30, 2024. An advocacy group spokesperson said bridge suicides have long been a problem in the state, and noted that 2023 is the fourth consecutive year in which lawmakers have proposed barrier construction legislation.
