Mount Hope Bridge inspection made public as Bristol fights to keep records lawsuit alive

Despite cracked concrete, corroded steel, leaking expansion joints, broken anchor bolts, worn bearings, potholes and dozens of other deficiencies, the Mount Hope Bridge “continues to function as designed.” 

That’s according to a June 2024 inspection report released Friday by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority in response to a federal lawsuit filed against the agency and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) by the town of Bristol. The lawsuit came after repeated denials to the town’s requests for a copy of the inspection report on the nearly century-old span connecting Bristol to Portsmouth.

“The inspection process is comprehensive and identifies even minor maintenance needs long before they become larger concerns,” Lori Caron Silveria, RITBA’s executive director, said in a statement to Rhode Island Current. “Maintaining the Mount Hope Bridge is an ongoing task, and we remain committed to investing in its preservation so it continues to serve Rhode Islanders safely for generations to come.”

The lawsuit was filed on March 12 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.  With the report now public, the Turnpike and Bridge Authority and the TSA on Friday moved to get the lawsuit dismissed. But the town of Bristol that same afternoon filed an objection, arguing that the overall problem that prompted the federal complaint in the first place remained  unresolved.

“The issue is we had to go this length to get the document,” Peter F. Skwirz, an attorney for the Providence-based firm Urisllo, Teitz & Ritch, said in a phone interview Monday. 

Bristol officials requested a copy of the 530-page report on the state of the 1929 suspension bridge on Oct. 2, 2025 — pointing to the precedent set by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation in quickly releasing a 300-page report following the 2023 closure of the Washington Bridge connecting Providence to East Providence. 

The turnpike and bridge authority denied the request on Oct. 17, citing “sensitive security information” that needed to be reviewed by the TSA before its release. The town then appealed the denial to the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General under the state’s Access to Public Records Act, which upheld the Turnpike and Bridge Authority’s decision in January.

“We find that the RITBA permissibly withheld the responsive report in its entirety as it was prohibited from publicly disclosing the report prior to TSA’s review and potential redaction,” the denial letter states.

No redactions were made in the final report.

The town also asked the TSA for the most recent inspection report through a Freedom of Information Act request on Jan. 30. Federal law requires agencies to respond to records requests within 20 business days, but the town alleges in its lawsuit the TSA failed to make a determination, produce any records or invoke a lawful extension within that time.

Skwirz in his objection filing stated the TSA should not avoid judicial review for its conduct simply because the turnpike and bridge authority has now published the inspection report. 

“Defendants produced the report only after this action was filed and on the final day for responding to the Complaint, following two extensions of that deadline, and only after this Court stated it was disinclined to grant a further extension of the deadline,” Skwirz’s filing states.

The town also feels the court still needs to determine whether it was the prevailing party, which are typically entitled to get legal costs reimbursed by the lesser of the case.

“Because Bristol continues to assert a live federal claim for attorneys’ fees under FOIA, this action is not moot,” the filing states.

Spokespeople for the TSA and the turnpike and bridge authority did not immediately respond to request for comment on the town’s objection to their motions to dismiss the lawsuit.