History of the bridge

View of the old Jamestown bridge from 138 East on North Kingstown side

Pell (Newport) Bridge

The Jamestown bridge was built in 1940 to get car traffic from the "West Bay" of Rhode Island to Conanicut Island (Jamestown). Prior to 1940 people and cars would have to get to Jamestown by ferry. The bridge was dubbed the "Bridge to Nowhere" because in true Rhode Island fashion, there was no bridge on the other side of the island to get to Newport (the destination most people wanted to reach) until 29 years later.

Sakonnet River Bridge

From 1940 to 1969, people had to take a ferry to Newport or travel to the other end of the state to Tiverton to take the Stone Bridge (replaced with the Sakonnet River Bridge in 1956 following Hurricaine Carol in 1954) or the Mount Hope Bridge in Bristol (consturucted 1927-1929).

Mount Hope Bridge

The Jamestown bridge was known for its steep grade. Because of the grade, the fact that it was only 2 lanes and featured grates (not solid concrete) at the top, it was known as the scariest road in Rhode Island. The bridge was closed for good in 1992 when it was replaced the the Jamestown-Verazzano bridge.

View of the Jamestown bridge from 138 looking west