Bristol residents join bridge toll battle

BRISTOL, R.I. (WPRI) -- The plan to charge drivers crossing the new Sakonnet River Bridge has already sparked protests this week, and now a new group is adding their voice to the discussion.

If tolls are in fact added, those in Bristol are worried that traffic in their town will back up for miles. The fear is that more people will use the Mount Hope Bridge in order to avoid the tolls.

"The traffic is already backed up, there's only one lane coming through here, it's not a highway," said one resident.

Bristol residents also tell us they're not convinced the potential boost in traffic will be beneficial to Bristol businesses.

"I get in my car at Point A, I've got to be at Point B, but the way to get there I've got to through Bristol, that does not mean I'm going to stop and have lunch," said another town resident.

In the spring, the General Assembly paved the way for tolls after they passed legislation transferring the Sakonnet River Bridge from the Department of Transportation to the Turnpike and Bridge Authority.

• Related: Toll Hikes Approved by Bridge Authority

"These structures need to be maintained, they're incredibly expensive structures, and if we go another generation and we don't maintain them adequately, and then we're in a position of having to replace them," said RIDOT Director Michael Lewis.

At RIDOT's public presentation about the tolls Monday night, the auditorium was packed with people strongly against tolling the bridge.

A second presentation on the toll proposal is being held tonight in Tiverton.