Prepare for delays on Claiborne Pell Bridge
Plus: Don't miss what's playing at the "JPT Screaming Room"
Good Morning,
It’s a big week for the Claiborne Pell Bridge;
Beginning Thursday, Open road tolling (ORT) lanes at the Claiborne Pell Bridge plaza will be closed to facilitate the transition to all-electronic tolling.
The ORT lanes are the “free flow” traffic lanes equipped with an overhead gantry, located in the middle of the plaza. While the ORT lanes are closed, all traffic will be directed through the gated lanes. The outer lane in each direction will be available for either E-ZPass or bill-by-mail transactions during rush hours, weekdays 7 am to 10 am, and 3 pm to 6 pm.
The closure of the ORT lanes is expected to continue until October 28. RITBA will stop taking cash and credit card transactions beginning on October 27th at 11 pm and will complete the transition by October 28th at 11 pm. Read More
On Sunday, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Foundation will host the Citizens Pell Bridge Run.
The event is a 4-mile charity run/walk with 100% of the proceeds going to support non-profits and local community organizations. The run provides a rare opportunity for the public to cross over the beautiful Claiborne Pell Bridge on foot and enjoy stunning views of Narragansett Bay.
The event will begin at 7:00 am and police will begin blocking off some roads starting at 6:30 a.m. Early morning motorists in the Jamestown and Newport area should be prepared for slight delays and traffic detours due to the run. More info on event/road closures
Also, this week, expect work crews and closures in the westbound right lane from 7 am to 2 pm today and in the eastbound left lane today through Friday from 9 am to 2 pm.
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Newport City Council returns to City Hall this evening for a Regular Council Meeting. Here’s what’s on the agenda.
Newport in Bloom and Newport Daffodil Days will be distributing more than 30,000 free “Dutch Master” daffodil bulbs on Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm at Easton’s Beach Rotunda, until supplies last. Bulbs come 30 to a bag (a $20 value). To date, over 1,200,000 bulbs have been donated to the City and its residents.
Rhode Island Monthly with a story on Portsmouth’s Rail Explorers - How Rail Explorers Became the Easiest, Breeziest Daytrip in RI and Beyond
With the COVID-19 pandemic stretching into a third school year, some districts are finally resuming field trips this fall. In Newport, that means the return of a program that brings the classroom offshore. The Public’s Radio Reporter Antonia Ayres-Brown tagged along with a fourth-grade class to see what school is like on the water - As school field trips return, Newport fourth-graders set sail
Streaming scary movies at home? Please. There's NOTHING like a good old-fashioned scream at the theater and the JPT Film & Event Center has four of your favorite October classics on the big screen. The fun gets started this Thursday with Poltergeist! More information and tickets at janepickens.com.
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What’s Up Today
Weather Forecast
Today - Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight - Patchy fog after 2 am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Southwest wind around 6 mph.
Tomorrow - Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.
Tomorrow Night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Light north wind.
Marine Forecast
Today - Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming SSW 5 to 7 kt in the afternoon. Mostly sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
Tonight - Variable winds 5 kt or less. Patchy fog after 2 am. Seas 1 ft or less.
Coastal Water Temperature: 65°F.
Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise: 6:55 am | Sunset: 6:07 pm | 11 hours & 11 minutes of sun.
High tide at 1:59 am & 2:32 pm | Low tide at 7:09 am & 9:49 pm.
Moon: First Quarter Moon, 7.2 days, 48% lighting.
Things To Do
7:30 am – Adult Recess Morning Edition at Braga Park
2 pm to 6 pm – Aquidneck Growers Summer Market on Memorial Blvd.
For more events and things to do on this day, visit our events calendar.
Live Music & Entertainment
Celtica – Team Trivia at 7:30 pm
JPT Film & Event Center (In Theatre) – Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour 2021 at 7:30 pm
JPT Film & Event Center (Virtual) – Final Set
City & Government
8:30 am – Portsmouth Prevention Coalition
10 am – Jamestown Housing Authority
4:30 pm – Middletown Economic Development Advisory Committee
6 pm – Little Compton Housing Trust
6 pm – Middletown Planning Board
6:30 pm – Newport City Council
7 pm – Portsmouth Planning Board