Report: Eastbound Washington Bridge in 'fair' condition amid traffic detours
Jan 13, 2025
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- A fall inspection of the open eastbound Washington Bridge shows the structure is in "fair" condition after nearly a year of carrying both sides of traffic due to the westbound bridge closure.
The R.I. Department of Transportation on Monday released the report detailing the findings of a multiday inspection conducted in October and November. According to the report, a concern was reported to RIDOT regarding a dip at Pier 4 in the eastbound right lane, which state officials said has now been debunked.
"After investigating, it was determined that the cause of this issue is related to the design of the slope of the deck at the scupper (as-built) condition to allow for proper drainage away from the Pier 4 joint," the report said.
The rating "fair" is one of three ratings bridges usually receive after an inspection. The ranking of those ratings starts with "good," followed by "fair" and "poor," according to the Federal Highway Administration.
RELATED: RIDOT installing system to monitor Washington Bridge’s structural health
RIDOT Director Peter Alviti said the safety rating of the bridge's substructure and superstructure hasn't changed since 2008, and Gov. Dan McKee suggested Rhode Islanders should ignore anyone other than the state-hired inspectors who say otherwise.
"The bridge is safe, bottom line, the bridge is safe," McKee said during a news conference at the State House. (Alviti noted the inspection company isn't one of the 13 companies the state is currently suing over the bridge failure.)
The report said Infrasense, a consulting firm that specializes in the nondestructive evaluation of bridge decks, found defects on the top of the bridge's deck using various technology, like ground-penetrating radar, infrared thermography and high-resolution video.
The inspection also revealed "isolated areas of light to heavy corrosion," and said that "exposed portions of the underside of the deck have hairline transverse cracks." The inspection also found areas "with and without exposed rebar, scattered areas of missing mortar between masonry stones, and random cracked or missing stones."
Alviti said they're keeping a close eye on the bridge's condition, and inspections are happening twice per year, which is more frequent than the federal guidelines of once every two years.
He refused to say how long the McKee administration believes it will take to rebuild the westbound bridge, and he declined to provide an estimate for how much it might cost. Alviti said that would be determined by the ongoing competitive bidding process, which is scheduled to pick a contractor in June.
House Speaker Joe Shekarchi has suggested the rebuild effort could go on until 2028, which Alviti called "speculation," and the director declined to agree or disagree with the estimate.
"I'm not going to comment on the speculation of anyone else," he said.
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Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.
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