Reflective Sticks Installed on Newport Bridge After Deadly Crash

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority has begun installing temporary reflective sticks on the Newport Pell Bridge as it awaits a report on whether to put in a permanent median barrier.

The authority said the work began Thursday and is expected to be complete Friday.

Authority Chairman David Darlington announced several safety improvements last month, including speed cameras, stepped up police patrols and a public awareness campaign about distracted driving.

Local officials have called for a concrete median barrier on the four-lane bridge over Narragansett Bay between Newport and Jamestown to prevent head-on collisions. A 75-year-old man died in December after a head-on crash.

Drivers are urged to use caution and slow speeds while the installation is taking place.