Engineers recommend Washington Bridge be replaced

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The structural analysis of the Washington Bridge has determined the bridge should be torn down.

At a briefing held by Gov. Dan McKee and Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti, structural engineers who performed the analysis said that the structural deficiencies on the bridge “cannot be viably repaired.”

The firm, McNary, Bergeron & Johannesen, recommends to replace the bridge, deck, girders, piers, and foundation to meet design code.

Officials said that the demolition of the bridge will be “competitively bid,” and the bid should be chosen by March 2025.

They added that the replacement process should take between 18 and 24 months, with an aimed completion date between March and September 2026.

“Rhode Islanders deserve answers, accountability, and a plan of action to restore normalcy to their daily lives. That is what we will deliver,” Gov. McKee said. “It is very important to me that Rhode Islanders have confidence in the findings and the recommendation for a path forward for the Washington Bridge. That is why I made sure that a third-party expert, unaffiliated with any current construction projects in Rhode Island, was able to oversee and review all the information gathered for this report.”

McKee also vowed that the state will hold those who ignored the bridge’s deficiencies accountable.

The governor’s office said the estimated cost for the demolition and reconstruction is between $250 and $300 million.

State Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and State Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio released the following statement on the announcement:

The closure of the Washington Bridge has caused tremendous disruption to the lives of residents across our state, and particularly those who live and work in the East Bay. First and foremost, we want to commend the members of the East Bay delegations in the General Assembly for their outstanding engagement on behalf of their constituents. They have helped ensure that residents are equipped with as much knowledge as possible, and worked to ease traffic burdens, economic impacts and other disruptions. We will work with our federal delegation to expedite this application for approval under the current Administration in Washington.  We caution that the costs cited today are only estimates, and as we have seen in so many projects, construction costs have often exceeded original estimates.

The East Providence delegation to the state senate released the following statement as the briefing was held:

Now that we have a clear path forward, it is critical that we move as expeditiously as possible to replace the bridge. Safety is our paramount concern. At the same time, we need to explore every option to provide relief to residents who have experienced such tremendous disruption to their lives and livelihoods, from improving temporary traffic patterns to supporting local businesses. We will continue to advocate for transparency and accountability. We look forward to a hearing on legislation we submitted to ensure our constituents receive timely, thorough information about the timeline involved and the steps being taken to alleviate traffic and other concerns while work continues. We look forward to reviewing the forensic report.