The 4 Bridges Ride takes care of a lot of things. Cyclists get to experience the splendor of Rhode Island's Narragansett bay on a 26 mile route that runs through the mainland, Aquidneck Island and the East Bay. People get exercise, socialize and some of the state's best assets are on display.

Most importantly, it raises money for Save the Bay, the charity ride's partner. The event begins this Saturday, May 2 at 7 a.m. in North Kingstown and motorists are asked to be patient and expect delays along the route.

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority hosts the annual event and is taking steps to keep both 4 Bridges Ride and normal traffic going smoothly. There will be lane and road closures during the ride in most of the communities along the route: North Kingstown, Jamestown, Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton and Bristol.

According to the RITBA, Police will begin blocking off some roads in the aforementioned towns as early as 4:30 a.m. From the park-and-ride on the North Kingstown side of the Jamestown Bridge, cyclists will travel to Route 138, across the 1.4-mile-long Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge and through the toll plaza via the connector road.

After crossing the Claiborne Pell Bridge, riders use the Downtown Newport ramp to enter Farewell Street. The ride will travel on Van Zandt St, Third Street and Connell Highway in Newport before connecting with Lexington Street and Chases Lane in Middletown. The cyclists will travel up Burma Road to Stringham Road onto West Main Road in Portsmouth, onto the Hummocks Avenue exit toward the Sakonnet River Bridge. Once over the bridge, the riders will turn around in Tiverton and cross back into Portsmouth and heads toward the Mount Hope Bridge on Anthony Road and Boyd's Lane.

All cyclists must abide by the rules of the road throughout the course, and they will, at times, share the road with motorists.