A timeline of the Washington Bridge developments
With the much-anticipated forensic analysis of the Washington Bridge's westbound span, as well as potential paths forward to repair or rebuild the span, due soon, The Journal took a look back at the bridge's major milestones and developments before, during and after the Dec. 2023 emergency closure.
Construction and opening of the Washington Bridge
Aug. 7, 1960: Construction of the Interstate Highway system in full swing across the country and the Rhode Island Department of Public Works announces it will build a new bridge over the Seekonk River parallel to the 1930 Washington Bridge in order to complete the new Interstate 195.
April 24, 1967: Gov. John Chafee holds groundbreaking on second the Washington Bridge span. Aetna Bridge of Warwick will build the new bridge, which will carry Interstate 195 westbound, under a $7.9 million contract.
Dec. 23, 1968: Chafee, wielding a giant pair of ceremonial scissors, cut a red ribbon on the new bridge, opening it to traffic.
Major construction done to the Washington Bridge
1996-1998: Aetna does $13 million worth of rehab work on the bridge.
December 2016: The Rhode Island Department of Transportation goes out to bid for reconstruction work on the westbound Washington Bridge span. Cardi Corp. of Warwick wins a $14.7 million contract on the $21.3-million project.
Aug. 22, 2018: The temporary traffic pattern designed to keep vehicles moving during bridge work fails, sending backups well into Massachusetts. After several days, and with state elections approaching, work on the bridge is halted. By next summer, the contract is terminated.
April 10, 2020: RIDOT goes out to bid again to finish work on the bridge. Cardi is the low bidder and awarded the work, but Federal Highway Administration refuses to sign off on contract, declaring Cardi's proposal "unresponsive." After lawsuits in state and federal court, the $78 million design-build contract is awarded to a joint venture of Barletta Heavy Division and Aetna.
Oct. 12. 2021: Gov. Dan McKee, with the state's congressional delegation and DOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. break ground on new bridge rehabilitation project. "The Washington Bridge has to be rehabilitated to keep it safe,” Alviti says in a news release.
Emergency closure of the westbound span
Friday, Dec. 8, 2023: A structural engineer working for contractor VHB emails RIDOT officials with a "critical finding" on the bridge. At least two of the anchor rods securing the concrete spans cantilevered over the river have failed. RIDOT engineers mull what to do, decide to reconvene on Monday.
Monday, Dec. 11: Senior RIDOT officials hold video meeting with VHB engineers on problems with the bridge. In the afternoon, they brief Alviti and recommend closure. Alviti texts and then calls McKee with the news and his decision to shut the bridge down.
Alviti announces closure to public at 5 p.m. news conference. McKee makes a previously scheduled visit to Hope High School basketball practice.
Tuesday, Dec. 12: With the bridge closed morning commute times double, triple or worse. At a news conference, Alviti says "we averted a major catastrophe." The evening commute sees gridlock in local streets in East Providence as drivers try to get to the Henderson Bridge. Traffic reaches Pawtucket and Newport as drivers seek alternative routes.
More: Timeline of the Washington Bridge closure: Here's how it all happened
Wednesday, Dec. 13: Congestion gets so bad pregnant women are advised to call an ambulance to get to the hospital instead of attempting to cross the Seekonk river by personal automobile.
Friday, Dec. 15: An emergency bypass allows two lanes of westbound traffic to use two lanes of the eastbound span, easing the worst congestion and spreading it out more evenly to both directions.
Post-immediate closure of the westbound span
Monday, Dec. 18: RIDOT orders a "forensic analysis" of the bridge's condition and how it may have deteriorated. Separately, the Department of Administration hires another firm, McNary Bergeron, to review the forensic analysis and come to its own conclusion.
Thursday, Dec. 21, 6 a.m.: RIDOT launches ferry service from Bristol to Providence to give people an alternative to driving. Ridership is low.
Wednesday, Jan. 20.: Ferry service ends.
Monday, Jan. 22: After inspections carried out earlier in the month reveal the bridge is in even worst shape than expected, Alviti tells reporters at a news conference that engineers are trying to come up with a plan for the bridge and tearing it down cannot be ruled out.
More: All options, including complete rebuild, on table for Washington Bridge, Alviti says in update
Friday, Jan. 26: The U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island announces it is investigating allegations of false claims for payment on the Washington Bridge and demands documents going back to January 2015.
Alviti tells East Bay lawmakers RIDOT hopes to have a plan for the bridge by the end of February or early March.
Monday, Jan. 28: McKee assigns top aide Joseph Almond to oversee RIDOT's bridge planning and provide "cross agency coordination."
Feb. 5: Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt tours the ailing bridge, says the U.S. government will help the state in what appears to be moving from repair project toward "replacement."
Feb. 21: McKee and Alviti announce that RIDOT is beginning work on a new highway configuration that will provide an extra travel lane in each direction on the bridge. The new pattern is expected to take around eight weeks to complete.
Feb. 22: A leaked report from engineering contractor VN Engineers, a subcontractor for the Barletta-Aetna-VHB venture, suggests that replacing the bridge with a new span may be the only way to make it safe for the long term.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Washington Bridge news is expected soon. Here's a timeline of developments.
