U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Rhode Island on Tuesday and toured the Washington Bridge along with other infrastructure projects across the state.
Buttigieg attended a groundbreaking for the Woonasquatucket River Greenway Project and met with workers to hear how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is increasing job opportunities in the state.
After touring the Washington Bridge, Buttigieg spoke with reporters, saying the federal government has been aware of the situation since it started.
“We have been paying attention since day one,” he said. “We know just how important it is for commuters and residents in this whole area."
He said his department will be working closely with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation on the planned bridge rebuild but wouldn't commit to how much of the project the federal government will cover.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee announced last week that the Washington Bridge, which was partially shut down over safety concerns back in December, will need to be demolished and replaced.
An independent review of the bridge — which carries Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River from Providence to East Providence and serves as a key gateway to Providence — found additional structural deficiencies requiring that it be replaced. The state must replace both the bridge's superstructure and part or all of the substructure, the governor said.
McKee said his administration is investigating what led up to the need to shut down and replace the bridge.
“We will hold all responsible parties fully accountable,” he said. “The day of reckoning is coming and coming soon.”
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Peter Alviti, director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, said the new bridge should be substantially completed with traffic flowing between March and September of 2026.
The cost to demolish and replace the bridge should come in between $250 million and $300 million, he said. The state is looking at a range of sources for the funding including federal grants.
Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed told WJAR he's spoken to Buttigieg about the Washington Bridge and the need for federal funding for the project.
Buttigieg said Tuesday that the priority is to get the project moving quickly while also making sure that everything is done safely.
During the demolition and construction of the new bridge, the state will reroute six lanes of traffic — three in each direction — on the eastbound bridge structure.
Alviti said the eastbound bridge is a separate structure. The state had a structural engineering company determine that it was safe to carry six lanes — and then had a second engineering company to review the first company's work to confirm the bridge is safe, he said.
The Department of Justice is conducting a separate investigation into the need to suddenly shut down the bridge.
The bridge carries nearly 100,000 vehicles every day.
The sudden westbound closure in mid-December initially wreaked havoc on traffic, turning a 40- to 45-minute drive into several hours, stranding commuters for hours and sending others veering off their normal path. Some schools closed and held classes remotely.
