Building Bridges in Barrington

Transportation may get a little better in the East Bay. In coalition with the RIDOT, the town of Barrington is working to build a new bridge connecting the Hampden Meadows neighborhood to Barrington Village. The standing 2 lane bridge conveniently joins the area with County Road at the local High School and the Barrington Congregational Church. The new construction over Hundred Acre Cove will stay in the same location. The bridge was proposed in order to combat the heavy traffic flow between the two areas, and the design includes 3 traffic lanes to ease right hand turns. While this new addition is a welcome improvement to the community, there is some debate over the prospective bridge height. RIDOT plans to elevate the structure 10 inches, but that is 16 inches less than the HarborMaster’s recommendation. However, the number of piers below the bridge will be reduced, so that boaters have more room for travel. The bridge will be assembled in a way that ensures the present travel patterns will not be affected. Roadway construction will take place offsite, and the final product will be put in place sometime around Spring 2014. The RIDOT and the town of Barrington are shaping this project with the convenience of the community in mind. Hampden Meadows is a more affordable neighborhood in Barrington. Known for it’s privacy, this quiet area is surrounded on 3 sides by water and is home to the Barrington Yacht Club. It is also an easy commute to Providence.