'Critical Failure' Closes Washington Bridge, Possibly For Months

RHODE ISLAND — The westbound side of the Washington Bridge has been closed, possibly for multiple months, after the "critical failure" of some original 1960s bridge components was discovered during the bridge's reconstruction, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation announced Monday evening.

"Rhode Island has a strong team of public safety and engineering experts who were mobilized quickly yesterday to address a critical issue at the Washington Bridge with the chief goal of keeping residents safe — I trust those experts and I thank them for their work," Gov. Dan McKee said in a news conference Tuesday. "Our response and recovery team will continue to work across state government, local government and with the business community to ensure an efficient and coordinated response while RIDOT works to get the bridge reopened as soon as possible."

Initially, all the westbound lanes will be closed and traffic diverted to alternate routes, the emergency announcement said.

In the next two to three weeks, traffic will be moved to two lanes on the eastbound side, at which time permanent repairs will begin on the westbound side, officials said.

This also requires the closure of two lanes on I-195 East in the area of Exit 1A at India Street, which began at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

"Depending on the severity of what is found from the initial work, the repair could take three months or more, officials wrote.

East Providence Public Schools Shift To Remote Learning Following Bridge Closure

The closure also forced East Providence Public Schools to shift to virtual learning Wednesday after the abrupt closure left buses stranded for hours on Tuesday afternoon.

East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva made the announcement bout an hour after schools had an early dismissal in an attempt to get students home faster.

It is not clear how long remote learning will continue in East Providence Public Schools.

In the meantime, travelers are asked to take the marked detour routes:

Local traffic in East Providence: Take Exit 2 to Broadway. Follow detour signs to the Henderson Bridge and rejoin I-195 West at Gano Street.

Southeast Massachusetts, west of Fall River, MA: Take Massachusetts Exit 1 and follow Route 114A. Follow onto Route 114 (Pawtucket Avenue) or Route 1A (Newport Avenue) to I-95. This is the preferred routes for trucks.

Southeast Massachusetts east of Fall River, MA (including traffic coming from Cape Cod and the New Bedford Area): Take Massachusetts Exit 14B to Route 24 North. Follow to I-495 North to I-95.

The Washington Bridge carries 96,000 vehicles daily, officials said. The total construction cost for the Washington Bridge project is $78 million.