According to a gauge in Narragansett Bay, sea level has risen eleven inches since 1930, most of it in the last three decades. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts up to 3.25 feet of sea level rise by 2050 and up to 9.6 feet by 2100. During moon tides and major storms, water levels will get even higher. And that means that most of Rhode Island’s salt marshes — and much of the rest of the coastline — will soon become flooded.
(“Preparing for Rising Seas in Rhode Island,” Rhode Island Monthly, June 20, 2019)



The Pell Bridge is the gateway to the Narragansett Bay and rivers to the North. The East and West towers rise 400 feet (122 m) above the water surface, and the peak of the roadway deck is 215 feet (66 m). Ships entering the Bay enter through a channel that passes directly below the roadway deck at its highest elevation.  

Flood Zones



East Passage + Ship Hold



Newport Bike Paths