The RI Department of Transportation announced this evening that effective immediately, the weight limit is reduced to 4 tons for vehicles crossing Portsmouth's Escape Bridge in Island Park.

"The Cove Bridge is safe for travel by vehicles under the bridge’s new posted weight limit," RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said in a press release.

This evening, Town Council President Peter McIntyre said that Fire Chief Jeff Lynch expressed concerns about the impact the new restriction might have on getting rescue equipment to that part of town.

This further reduction comes a year after RIDOT reduced the weight limit to 10 tons.

Deterioration has continued and now the bridge will need to have its superstructure (horizontal elements) replaced and its substructure (vertical elements) repaired.

"RIDOT will begin an accelerated in-house design for the Cove Bridge," said Lewis. "It is expected that this project will be advertised later this year and begin construction next year. It is expected that this project will take only one construction season to complete."

Once construction begins the bridge will need to be closed to all traffic. RIDOT will work closely with the community and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, should flooding conditions impact the neighborhood.
— via RIDOT press release

Why do we need this bridge? See here.