Veronica PiscitelliU.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced March 31 a grant agreement had been executed awarding $221 million in federal grant funding to rebuild Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge.
Washington Bridge, on I-195, just outside Providence, Rhode Island, connects the city and East Providence over the Seekonk River. It consists of three separate parallel bridges that connect several major highways nearby, including I-95, I-295, US-6, RI-10 and RI-146. The bridge is a transportation link between Rhode Island and points southwest with eastern Rhode Island, southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.
The westbound span of the bridge was built in 1969 and carried five lanes of traffic. It has been closed since December 2023 after a critical failure was discovered during reconstruction. The failure included several tie rods, failing post-tensioned concrete girders and overall concrete quality. After further inspection, officials determined the entire bridge needed to be replaced.
This grant award is one of about 3,200 unobligated grants that were announced by the previous administration but never completed, according to the DOT. The backlog has delayed critical investments across the country. Duffy said the agency was “pleased to announce $221 million in grants for Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge—a critical link that carries thousands of vehicles a day.”
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Kenneth C. Zirkel via Wikimedia Commons
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