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degggendorf OP t1_isnzyvw wrote

The annual Pell Bridge Run is your one and only chance to (legally) set foot on the Newport bridge and examine the quality of the pavement up close and personal.

Since they shut down traffic on the bridge, they enforce a 3 MPH/18 minute mile minimum pace, which is a not-even-that-brisk walk. It's 4 miles total from the toll plaza on the Jamestown side, ending right at the bus station on America's Cup Ave.

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JasonDJ t1_iso4xox wrote

…3MPH is a 20 minute mile. 18 minutes is 3.3.

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degggendorf OP t1_iso5xai wrote

Thank you for the correction. It was a grave error, and I regret it.

edit: in my defense, the organizers did advertise it both ways:

> Runners and walkers are expected to maintain a pace that will have them off of the Newport Pell Bridge an hour after they start. This requires a pace of 18:00 minutes per mile, or faster.

and also

> All participants must be off the bridge in one hour. This requires a 3 mph. pace. All participants unable to maintain this pace will be escorted off the bridge by race officials.

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Jack_Jacques t1_ispnang wrote

It's a wonderful event, but they need to let drivers know and THEY DID NOT. No signs, no notice. Press release wasn't even correct. Was 45 minutes late for work. Had I known., I would have gone much earlier and had breakfast in Newport. But the organizers and the bridge failed to notify drivers.

Total fiasco, but I hope it raised lots of money for the charities.

edit: sorry for the rant.

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degggendorf OP t1_ispvka6 wrote

That really sucks, I'm sorry. This was the first time I ran it, and I was shocked to find that they completely stopped traffic in both directions for so long. It wasn't until I was over the bridge (so like, 25 mins in) that the police finally allowed a slug of inbound cars through on the left side of the bridge.

With those movable barriers on the bridge, you'd think it would be easy to temporarily change the division of the road so there could be both both outbound lanes still, then one inbound lane, the barriers, and a protected lane for runners.

The only sign I saw ahead of time was the electronic sign in Jamestown saying something along the lines of "no trailers over 18ft 7am-8pm" which I don't think it even related to the race, it's for the roadwork on the Newport side. They really should have had signs about it at least in Jamestown the whole week leading up to it, if not the ones on 95 mentioning it too. RITBA is a sponsor of the race, so it's not like they don't have the ability to alert all motorists.

Anyway, I hope there aren't any lasting repercussions for you at work.

Oh and you can put 10/15/2023 in your calendar now.

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chatendormi t1_iso7zr5 wrote

I ran it too!! Fantastic day. Could not have been better weather. I’m interested to see the drone footage !

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_iso0f2p wrote

Amazing photo. Thank you.

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degggendorf OP t1_iso133q wrote

There is much better photography out there too, not shot while running and death-gripping a sweaty cell phone like I did...

There's a good collection on the official FB page, both posted by the org and by participants in the comments: https://www.facebook.com/PellBridgeRun/

Or for video, there is a good ground-level one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5oGuorpgF8

and another from a drone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUg-r0eUbHk

I am partial to the ground level video, on account of my wife and I being in it a couple times. TBF, we were pretty recognizable...

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panochito t1_isqk9wm wrote

I love this for you but this is my absolute worst nightmare and my heart pounds looking at this image. you are so brave for this oh my god

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degggendorf OP t1_isqnp4i wrote

But did you see this storm drains? They're big, they're right there, and they go straight out all the way down to the water with no grate or anything. I could have fit straight through one of them.

Oh and that paint on the walkway is slippery.

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JimmyHavok t1_iso5jsx wrote

Pellhenge...they should do it for the Spring henge too.

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readingbabe t1_isph3q7 wrote

That’s cool! Didn’t know this is a thing

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OkAd134 t1_ispky15 wrote

Well, seeing how most bridges in New England are not suitable for motor vehicle traffic, this seems like the best alternative. Still looks kinda sketchy though...

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degggendorf OP t1_isplt0o wrote

The condition of the road surface is truly horrific when you're that close (and that slow). There's hardly a contiguous 10 SF area of the same surface. Different materials, different heights, different textures......

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