Washington Bridge Demolition, Rebuild On The Table: RI State Officials

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — The Washington Bridge may need to be torn down and rebuilt because of structural deficiencies discovered last month that shut down the bridge's westbound side, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Director Peter Alviti said Monday.

Alviti said several engineering consultants are taking a "comprehensive look" at the bridge's damage to determine the next steps in mitigating what has become a traffic nightmare for commuters traveling between Providence and East Providence.

"What they find will determine the scope of the work that we need to do in order to correct any deficiencies on the bridge," Alviti said in a news conference. "They could come in with a number of different scenarios to us, depending upon what they find and what extent the repairs are necessary. It could be a repair of the existing structure, although extensive, it could be a reconstruction of various components of the bridge struct, or it could be a complete rebuild of the entire bridge."

The Washington Bridge connects East Providence to Providence over the Seekonk River via Interstate 195. It is one of Rhode Island's busiest spans of highway. More than 96,000 vehicles drive over the bridge daily.

Read more on the Washington Bridge situation

• 'Critical Failure' Closes Washington Bridge, Possibly For Months
• I-195 West Bypass Lanes Open Early On Washington Bridge
• Bypass Lanes, Ferries, Small Business Relief: Washington Bridge Update
• RI Small Business Loans Approved In Wake Of Bridge Shutdown: Report
• Bristol-Providence Ferry Service Ends.

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