Washington Bridge: EP businesses ‘can’t be doing this for three, four or five years’

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Frustrated owners of East Providence businesses have had enough.

The Washington Bridge has affected foot traffic more and more and business has cratered.

Now, with an estimated two years until the bridge is replaced, owners told the city council they need more help.

“When something out of your control is dragging your business away, it’s a feeling of your hands being tied,” said Eileen Harvey, owner of Skeff’s Pub on North Broadway.

Harvey said she got flashbacks to Covid-19 when the closure was announced on December 11, adding that grants and PPP loans is what got her business through the pandemic.

“What I would like to see is relief on property taxes, relief on payroll taxes, relief on tangible taxes,” Harvey said. “Maybe payroll taxes is the payroll help, but we do need help.”

Harvey said she is now closing the pub on Tuesdays and had to lay off an employee last week.

Mayor Bob DaSilva said he knows businesses are hurting and spoke to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about it during his visit to Rhode Island on Tuesday.

“For him to understand and hear directly from me and others on how this bridge needs to get repaired as quickly as possible,” DaSilva said. “We need to pull out all the stops, we need to meet that two year timeline or even earlier if they can, because our businesses can’t be doing this for three, four, five years.”

Steven Costa, the owner of Rosa’s Tavern on Waterman Avenue said his restaurant has been open for two years, and business is down 30 to 40 percent of where he expected to be at this point.

“Even our local residents, some of them don’t want to come out because they’re afraid of being stuck in traffic or getting caught up in the mix of it,” Costa said.

Costa said business owners in the city are not looking for free money and added that a majority of people he has spoken to have been denied for a small business loan.

But Costa said there are changes he thinks could help, like waiving certain fees or the cost of license renewal.

“Our government really needs to consider that and say ‘you know, what can we help them with?’ as far as those fees and the overall aspect of running a business,” Costa explained.

The city is having a small business resource fair this Thursday to hear from business owners and make them aware of resources available.

The resource fair will be at Riviera Restaurant on North Broadway from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.