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Aging lights on Sakonnet River Bridge leave holiday displays in doubt
The decorative LED system on the bridge connecting Tiverton and Portsmouth is malfunctioning, and the state bridge authority says discontinued replacement parts are complicating repairs. The lights have been used to mark holidays and highlight nonprofit causes since the span opened in 2012.
The decorative lights on the Staff Sergeant Christopher Potts Sakonnet River Bridge are malfunctioning, with the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority citing the system’s age and unavailable replacement parts as obstacles to repairs.
The bridge authority’s executive director, Lori Caron Silveira, said the system is aging and that replacement components are no longer available, making repairs especially difficult. She did not provide a timeline for restoring the lights.
The LED display has been part of the bridge since the Rhode Island Department of Transportation opened it in 2012. The authority took over the span in 2013. The bridge links Tiverton and Portsmouth, and its lighting has been used to recognize holidays and nonprofit organizations, including awareness campaigns.
Silveira said the authority understands the displays matter to groups and advocates who request them and is working to bring the system back into service so Rhode Islanders can continue marking causes and special occasions.