The Trump administration has signed off on $220 million in previously appropriated federal grants to help replace the westbound Washington Bridge, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee announced during a hastily arranged late afternoon news conference at the Statehouse on Thursday.
The governor thanked President Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“The full funding for the new Washington Bridge has been assured,” McKee said. “We are tremendously grateful to Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration for following through with this commitment to Rhode Islanders.”
The cost of the new bridge and the amount of time needed to build it is expected to come into view with the selection of a construction finalist in June. If the federal money had not come through, it would have hurt the state’s ability to pursue future construction projects.
In a statement, four members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation said they secured the money with the help of the Biden administration in 2024, and they thanked McKee and Duffy for working to complete the process.
“Everyone recognizes the importance of this project to the community and the need for safe, modern, and resilient infrastructure,” said U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This federal money is vital to completing this massive project that is already underway. This is a positive outcome and I hope the state will accelerate progress toward a new bridge that meets capacity and safety needs now and in the future.”
As recently as last week, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha expressed concern that Rhode Island might not get the money the Biden administration had appropriated.
The westbound Washington Bridge was abruptly shut on an emergency basis in December 2023. The state is suing 13 companies that it blames for the situation.
This story is part of Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge, a community-centered project from Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio.
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