Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge

How a near-catastrophe on the westbound Washington Bridge will affect Rhode Islanders for years to come

Latest Stories

East Providence mayor Roberto DaSilva says new development and school investments are key to easing pressure on residents

East Providence mayor talks taxes, housing, and the Washington Bridge closure

Mayor Roberto DaSilva points to school investments, new housing projects, and a post-bridge recovery as key to easing costs and reshaping the city’s future

Interim Rhode Island of Transportation Director Robert Rocchio speaks to reporters inside the State House on March 3, 2026.

As state waits for federal approval of Washington Bridge permits, RIDOT interim director takes over

Wait for the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers to sign off has been more than 90 days

Peter Alviti, who led RIDOT during Washington Bridge closure, to retire this month

Alviti’s decision to retire now, after weathering more than two years of intense scrutiny and criticism, surprised many

The Moonlight Ramblers perform in the Providence area

Two years on, the Washington Bridge closure is immortalized in the song ‘Broken Bridge’

With band members straddling the Seekonk River, the Providence-based Moonlight Ramblers released a single about a driver hoping to get home on a broken bridge

Two years after the Washington Bridge closure, East Providence businesses are still fighting to survive

From restaurants to bakeries to dance studios, local business owners describe customer losses, creative pivots, and the hard-earned resilience they’ve needed to keep going since the westbound bridge shut down in late 2023

State Rep. June Speakman listens to RIDOT Director Peter Aliviti testify at a Statehouse hearing on the Washington Bridge.

‘No accountability’: East Bay legislator outlines key concerns from Washington Bridge oversight hearing

After questioning RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Rep. June Speakman says she’s troubled by what she sees as little internal accountability or in-house expertise guiding the state’s major infrastructure projects

Washington Bridge inquiry heats up as lawmakers challenge RIDOT director under oath

State lawmakers pressed Director Peter Alviti for answers Thursday, marking the most intense public scrutiny of the Washington Bridge collapse since the release of a critical audit this fall

Rhode Island lawmakers are holding a hearing about the Washington Bridge. Here are some top questions

For the first time since a critical audit, House and Senate Oversight committees will grill RIDOT leaders about who knew what — and why warning signs were missed before the bridge’s abrupt closure in 2023

Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi speaks with Ocean State Media’s Ian Donnis on Oct. 7, 2025.

Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi on the Washington Bridge and his political future

Saying every House Speaker has a shelf life, Democrat Joe Shekarchi is considering a run for governor because ‘a lot of Rhode Islanders have asked me to run’

Gov. McKee defends withholding Washington Bridge forensic audit for over a year

The Rhode Island governor says lawyers advised him to keep the April 2024 report private to protect the state’s lawsuit, as lawmakers demand more oversight and transparency

Forensic analysis of the Washington Bridge failure says officials should have been aware of the problems

A long-awaited report by an engineering firm was made public on Friday. It does not settle on a singular cause of the closure

Judge Denies Latest Attempt by Washington Bridge Contractors to Toss State’s Lawsuit

The state’s lawsuit against the 13 firms accused of doing negligent work on the westbound Washington Bridge can proceed to a 2027 trial date, a Rhode…

Warren Hutchison, an attorney with Freeman Mathis and Gary representing Steere Engineering, warns of the consequences if the state can claim negligence against Washington Bridge contractors without proving specific physical damages in Providence Superior Court on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2025.

Whose Fault is it Anyway? Washington Bridge Lawsuit has Another Day in Court

Trial tentatively scheduled for Nov. 2027, one year before new bridge completion date

Your Stories from the Bridge: Megan Disanto

Meg Disanto, 42-year-old Providence resident, says the bridge traffic got so bad that she decided to have her kids change schools

Gov. McKee during a Statehouse news conference earlier this month.

Bad Polling Continues to Dog McKee, Putting Pressure on His Washington Bridge Rebuild Plan

Voters are overwhelmingly skeptical of the promised completion date and cost

Cranston resident Lily Jeznach, a 36-year-old professor of environmental engineering at Roger Williams University

Your Stories from the Bridge: Lily Jeznach

Lily Jeznach, professor of environmental engineering at Roger Williams University and Cranston resident

You Asked: Why Did the State Stop Offering Ferry Service After the Bridge Shutdown?

We're answering your questions as part of our project Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge. Here's what happened with the short-lived ferry between Bristol and Providence

A view of the Washington Bridge, spring 2025.

Contractors Say State Hid Decades-Old Warnings About Washington Bridge Defects

Barletta and Aetna, sued over the bridge’s emergency closure, claim Rhode Island failed to disclose a 1992 report that flagged serious structural concerns—raising new questions about RIDOT’s oversight

"It has really been unpleasant. It actually made me think that maybe Providence isn't where I want to be."

Your Stories from the Bridge: Christopher Adamo

Christopher Adamo, massage therapist and East Providence resident

Cars travel on the reconfigured eastbound span of the Washington Bridge. A new $427 million westbound span is slated for completion by November 2028.

New Washington Bridge Expected by November 2028

The state expects the project to cost up to $427 million, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said.

Rhode Island state officials have said the new westbound bridge won’t include the problematic components that forced the closure of the old bridge.

Washington Bridge: Did Rhode Island Miss Critical Warning Signs Ahead of the 2023 Crisis?

Engineers say technology could have provided necessary insight years earlier

Your Stories from the Bridge: Traci Picard

Traci Picard, Historian and Providence Resident

You Asked: How Closely Are Rhode Island Bridges Being Monitored?

We're answering your questions about the Washington Bridge as part of our project Breaking Point. Here's what we've learned so far about the safety of other bridges across Rhode Island

This is one of 11 bridges along Interstate 95 slated to be replaced with federal funds released by the Trump administration.

Federal Government Releases $251 Million for Rhode Island to Fix Bridges Along I-95

Roughly $251 million in federal funding designated to rehabilitate 15 bridges along Rhode Island’s Interstate 95 between Providence and Warwick has been…

Your Stories from the Bridge

The sudden emergency closure of the Washington Bridge disrupted lives across our state. How has it affected you? Where have you found hardship, support and hope? This space is for your stories — the struggles, the workarounds and the ways people have come together.

Read more community stories

A letter from our editors

In December of 2023, the state narrowly averted disaster when it abruptly closed the westbound Washington Bridge after warnings of serious structural deficiencies. Since then, we have all been living with the aftermath, in lost travel time, tourism dollars and a diminution of our daily quality of life. Some of us have found creative workarounds. We have adapted as we do, when the unexpected comes our way. Still, the road ahead is going to be a long, bumpy ride, as the work begins to rebuild the broken bridge.

We invite you to join Ocean State Media as we embark on an ambitious community-centered project, Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge.

We want to tell your stories, about how you are affected by the bridge and adjusting to it in your daily lives. We will also be asking tough questions: How did we come so close to a potential human calamity? What do the underlying structural problems tell us about how well we maintain our vital bridges? In 2015, Rhode Island ranked dead last in the country in the soundness of our bridges. How much progress have we made to get better? Could this near-disaster lead to a better future for our transit system?

Help us answer those questions. Help us find solutions together. We’ll be sharing your stories and our reports on Rhode Island PBS, The Public’s Radio and our digital platforms, and I hope you’ll join us in a journalism project that will be better, deeper and more meaningful with your participation.

Most sincerely,

The Ocean State Media editorial team

Let's Hear From YOU!

Ocean State Media is answering your questions about the bridge as part of Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge, a community-centered project that is guided by what we hear from you.

Learn More

Deep dive

FAQs Bridge Timeline

FAQs

When will the bridge be fixed?

The demolition of the superstructure is 80% complete. Two major bridge construction firms have been shortlisted for the Request for Proposal (RFP) process. A fixed bid will be finalized in June 2025, providing a firm cost and schedule for reconstruction. The earliest construction start date is expected in June, but officials have not provided a definitive completion timeline.

What's the latest progress?

Walsh Construction and American Bridge are the two companies competing for the project. Local subcontractors will be used for materials and specific aspects of the build. Officials emphasized that demolition is proceeding according to plan, despite concerns about noise, dust, and vibrations in surrounding neighborhoods. A four-week pause in demolition was attributed to additional assessments and safety measures.

How much will the rebuild cost?

The total estimated project cost is upwards of $300 million, with funding secured from a combination of state and federal sources, including $125 million in a federal “mega grant” $95.6 million in additional infrastructure grants and some of the $334 million through the Garvee Bond Authority which includes work on other bridges on I-95.

Officials acknowledged potential cost fluctuations due to inflation and steel supply issues.

Is the bridge structurally safe?

Several engineering firms have assessed the eastbound bridge, confirming it can handle six lanes of traffic safely. Real-time monitoring systems have been installed, including weight-in-motion sensors to track structural strain. Vibration monitoring systems to detect seismic or load-related stress Despite these precautions, enforcement of weight limits for trucks remains a concern.

See RIDOT's bridge data dashboardfor the latest inspection status.

What's going on legally?

There is ongoing litigation related to the project, which could impact the timeline. While RIDOT has assured reporters that litigation would not halt progress, the forensic report on the bridge collapse has not yet been made public, possibly due to legal issues.

Bridge Timeline

BREAKING IT DOWN

Events over the last two years that have had an impact on the community

December 8, 2023 | Something's Amiss

An engineer from VHB, an engineering firm that does design work on bridges for RIDOT, emails the agency at 1:40 p.m. He says his team has noticed a “critical finding” on the bridge: anchor rods securing concrete spans of the bridge have failed.

One hour later, RIDOT Managing Engineer Keith Gaulin responds to a group email chain. He says he has spoken to the VHB engineer and they agree “there are no immediate actions to be taken right at this moment as we try to determine other short and long-term solutions.”

December 11, 2023 | Bridge Closure

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation made an emergency announcement on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023: It was closing the westbound side of the Washington Bridge, which carries I-195 between East Providence and Providence.

“The initial closure will last 2-3 weeks", the agency said. Full repair will take "at least three months".

December 15, 2023 | Partial Lane Reopening

RIDOT opens two westbound lanes of traffic on the (open) eastbound span.

January 29, 2024 | Investigation Begins

The U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island announces that the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Office of Inspector General are seeking documents and records related to the sudden closing of the Washington Bridge.

March 14, 2024 | No Going Back

RIDOT announces that the shuttered bridge cannot be repaired; it must be demolished and completely rebuilt. A study by VN Engineers documents a number of deficiencies, including the failure of multiple tie-down rods at Pier 6 and 7, and exposed, corroded concrete and rebar assemblies that support the cantilever structure.

A study by Connecticut engineering firm McNary, Bergeron & Johannsen estimates the demolition and replacement will cost $250 million-$300 million and could be completed by October 2026.

April 30, 2024 | State Solicits Bids to Rebuild

The state issues an RFP for companies interested in building a new westbound bridge. Proposals are due July 3. Ultimately, zero companies will submit a bid.

August 16, 2024 | Lawsuits Filed

RI Attorney General Peter Neronha announces that the state is suing 13 companies that worked on the Washington Bridge.

September 20, 2024 | Federal Funding Awarded

RI’s federal politicians announce $125.4 million in federal funding for Rhode Island to help replace the Washington Bridge. This comes through the “Mega grant” program, also known as the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program. They’ll announce another grant award on Oct. 16.

October 15 & 16, 2024 | Call for Engineers and Funding

The state issues a request for qualifications for companies interested in building the bridge. Two finalists will be chosen from the companies that submit this RFQ.

RI’s federal politicians announce a second federal infrastructure grant to pay for a portion of the Washington Bridge. This one is a $95,589,533 INFRA (Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects program) grant to RIDOT. It brings the federal grant funding secured to $220.98 million.

October 18, 2024 | Budget Bumps

RIDOT submits a change order to its contract with Aetna for demolishing the bridge. The new contract bumps the estimated cost from $58.2 million to $96.6 million, according to WPRI. This comes after the state decided to task Aetna with demolishing the bridge’s substructure instead of allowing the rebuild project to re-use that structure.

December 10, 2024 | Engineering Finalists Selected

RIDOT selects two finalist engineering firms to submit bids to build a replacement bridge. They are the Walsh Group of Chicago and a joint venture between the American Bridge Company of Pennsylvania and MLJ Contracting Corp. of New York. Plans call for the finalist to be selected in June.

January 13, 2025 | Safety Update

State officials said the eastbound Washington Bridge has not experienced any significant deterioration despite carrying twice the normal traffic since it was pressed into an expanded role last year.