Alviti appears at oversight hearing on Washington Bridge
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) –Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti was questioned by members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and Senate about the demolition and reconstruction of the Washington Bridge Thursday.
Officials from the Oversight Committee asked questions about environmental concerns with the rebuild after debris from the demolition fell into the water under the bridge.
Alviti said that the department and contractors are “taking precautions,” and the Department of Environmental Management was monitioring for potential hazards.
The director also addressed a report from two companies on the safety of the six currently open lanes.
“When the November report came out, we sent that report to both [companies] and we asked them this question, ‘Do you see anything in that report that would make you change your original analysis and determination that that bridge is still safe?'” Alviti said. “And the answer from both companies is no.”
Gov. Dan McKee released a statement that said steps are being taken to make sure the demolition and rebuild are safe:
Since the state learned on March 14 that a new bridge needed to be built, we have made significant progress in demolishing the old bridge, advocating for and shoring up financing for a new bridge, and engaging two nationally known contractors to compete for the design-rebuild contract. These are positive steps toward our common goal to create a modern, safe Washington Bridge that will outlast our lifetimes.
While we acknowledge that the first few months following the emergency shutdown of the bridge were very disruptive to the public, opening up six lanes of travel on the newer bridge span has been a successful strategy for returning traffic volume to pre-closure levels. Additionally, in coordination with Commerce Corporation and the Cities of East Providence and Providence, we have been able to provide grants to impacted businesses, helping them weather any temporary dip in revenue.
We are committed to accountability, which is why we are collaborating with the Office of the Attorney General on legal action.
We appreciate the opportunity that today’s oversight hearing provided to provide both a recounting of the last year’s progress and an update on the current status of the bridge rebuild.
A controlled demolition of part of the bridge is scheduled for Feb. 14.
