Washington Bridge Decision to be Announced by Rhode Island Officials on Thursday

Rhode Islanders have been waiting impatiently for the fate of the westbound Washington Bridge for the past three months.

Governor Dan McKee has planned a press conference for this Thursday at 3 p.m. to present the much awaited results of multiple engineering assessments evaluating the bridge’s state. The bridge’s unexpected closure on December 11 served as the impetus for these examinations.

At the press conference, which the governor’s office is calling a “briefing on the structural analysis of the Washington Bridge,” Governor McKee will be joined by Peter Alviti, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, Joe Almond, senior deputy chief of staff, and a consultant from McNary, Bergeron & Johannesen.

Watchers can see live coverage of the event on WPRI 12 by tuning into 12 News.

East Bay elected authorities indicate that they are excited to find out more about the future plans. The effects of the bridge closure on traffic, which have resulted in erratic delays ranging from 15 to 45 minutes, were highlighted by Barrington state senator Pam Lauria.

Vice President of the East Providence City Council Frank Rego expressed worries about the bridge closure’s possible long-term effects on neighborhood establishments, especially eateries.

Engineers have been closely examining the westbound side of the bridge since it was closed three months ago; signs point to possible reconstruction rather than repair.

Target 12 was able to get a leaked draft report from one of the engineering firms last month, which revealed more serious problems than had been previously thought in December.

Operating since 1968, the Washington Bridge is an essential section of I-195 that crosses the Seekonk River to facilitate movement into and out of Providence.

Although no cost estimates have been released, federal officials anticipate that if a total bridge replacement is required, it may take up to two years to complete.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is looking into methods to reduce traffic, and one of their ideas is to renovate the eastbound side of the bridge to provide three lanes for traffic on both directions.

Following Thursday’s announcement about the future of the Washington Bridge, stay tuned for more details.