Rhode Island
Washington Bridge demolition resumes next week. Here are the first road closures planned. • Rhode Island Current
Nine minutes was all the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) needed Friday to update commuters about the demolition of westbound Washington Bridge, which is scheduled to resume early next week after an almost monthlong pause.
The update was given at a virtual public meeting — RIDOT’s first such since the bridge closed last December — though it served more as a presentation where staff outlined what has already been torn down, along with what to expect when work starts Tuesday, Oct. 15. RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. was not on the call.
Demolition, which began mid-August by Warwick-based Aetna Bridge Co., was put on pause Sept. 17 for the state’s legal team to preserve evidence in its ongoing lawsuit against the 13 firms who previously worked on the bridge. The westbound Washington Bridge — which had carried about 96,000 vehicles per day between East Providence and Providence — suddenly closed in December after engineers discovered broken anchor rods that put the highway at risk of collapse.
Three days after demolition was halted, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha told reporters the pause would last “days, not weeks.” Office spokesperson Timothy Rondeau declined to comment Friday why the evidence preservation went on for nearly a month.
Road closures on the way
Starting at 7 p.m Tuesday, RIDOT will close a section of Waterfront Drive in East Providence by the overpass for approximately one week as demolition resumes. Drivers will be directed to a detour on Valley Street — a portion of which is gravel, according to RIDOT.
Gano Street in Providence will be closed Sunday through Thursday nights at the Interstate 195 overpass from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. — with potential for a full weekend closure in late October.
At the time of the pause, crews removed asphalt and “most of the existing concrete barrier,” Assistant Project Manager Steve Soderland said during the presentation.
“And in the Gano Street area, we’ve removed much of the concrete bridge deck,” he said.
Soderland acknowledged frustrations neighborhood residents have had about loud construction noises, saying it would only last at most three more days once demolition resumes.
“Night work will continue throughout the remainder of the project, but will produce less noise similar to typical construction activities,” Soderland said.
Timeline still up in the air
The edges of the bridge are expected to be completely torn down by November — at which point the demolition crew will work on removing the center section over the Seekonk River. That’s expected to take up to four months, Soderland said.
The superstructure of the bridge was expected to be torn down by the end of January, according to the proposal Aetna submitted to RIDOT. But whether that is still feasible is unclear.
RIDOT Communications Director Liz Pettengill acknowledged the Rhode Island Current’s inquiry on the project timeline, but did not respond by publication Friday evening.
That’s not the only aspect of the project still in limbo. RIDOT has yet to open a new bidding process to rebuild the highway. The initial request for proposals (RFP) — posted April 30 with a July 3 deadline to respond — drew no bidders.
“No date for the RFP yet,” Pettengill said in an email.
With so much in question, Providence City Councilor John Goncalves, whose ward includes the Washington Bridge site, criticized RIDOT on social media for holding such a short meeting.
“I’ve got Fox Point constituents blowing up my line trying to get real answers,” he said.
RIDOT did allow those who attended the Zoom meeting to upload comments, but they were not made public — nor were they answered during the meeting. Pamela Cotter, the department’s director of planning said answers would be posted regularly on the Washington Bridge project website “over the next few weeks.”
Those who missed Friday’s presentation can submit questions on the demolition’s public input website through Friday, Oct. 18. A recording of the meeting will be online Tuesday, Oct. 15.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
Another famous face is joining the cast of “Rubber Hut” filming throughout Rhode Island.
As we previously reported, Grace Van Patten is starring in the feature film debut for director Hannah Gray Organschi about the infamous “condom hut” business from the early 90s.
The short-lived Fotomat kiosk turned drive-thru condom store garnered local notoriety as well as national attention in 1992 and is now the subject of a movie with several A-list stars attached.
READ MORE: Michael Imperioli, Emmy Rossum Join RI ‘Condom Hut’ Film
Scenes were filmed for several days at a custom-made “condom hut” on West Shore Road in Warwick. On Thursday, June 11, Beach Avenue was closed down to shoot a parade scene. Now, film crews have moved to Meshanticut Valley Parkway in Cranston for scenes along a residential street.
Who Was Behind the Original Condom Hut?
The home is believed to represent the residence of Emanuella DelVecchio, the former flight attendant who had the brilliant idea to open a condom kiosk in response to the AIDS epidemic.
Instead of support, however, DelVecchio received the condemnation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and was plagued with vandalism before shuttering her business within a year.
READ MORE: New Bedford’s Gone But Not Forgotten Closed-Down Bars
Who Has Joined the ‘Condom Hut’ Movie Cast So Far
Photos of parade scenes for the film show Michael Imperioli portraying a priest in the movie and now Deadline has reported that stage actor, Will Harrison, is attached to the project as DelVecchio’s husband. Other actors’ specific roles remain unknown.
Filming is expected to continue in Rhode Island until the end of June with a theatrical release likely in 2027.
See the Stars Who Own Homes in Rhode Island
There are plenty of celebrities who once called Rhode Island home, but how many still do? Here’s the list of stars who own homes across the Ocean State.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
20 Stars Who Hail From Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the nation, but it has been home to many celebrities. Though some have moved here, filmed here or attended school here, only a handful were actually born here. These are those celebrities.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
All The Famous Faces That Have Been to Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Home
Here are all the celebrities we know have made an appearance at Holiday House over the years.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
Two Rhode Island residents were charged after the Justice Department announced a $6.5 billion healthcare fraud crackdown.
The department said 455 defendants were charged, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes.
Mareli Arias Batista, 57, of Providence, was charged with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, false statement in application for a passport, use of a false passport and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person.
Officials said Batista fraudulently obtained approximately $28,236.42 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits.
Balni Pimental Lara, 59, of Providence, was also charged with false representation of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and health care fraud, in connection with a scheme to obtain benefits using the identity of another person.
According to officials, Lara fraudulently obtained approximately $24,018.86 in Rhode Island Medicaid benefits.
Bhamin Chhatrapati, 40, of Stoughton, Mass., was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with over $5.1 million fraudulently billed to Medicare, of which over $2.6 million was paid.
Approximately 1,079 medical providers were suspended and billing privileges were revoked for 1,403 providers.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Former Rhode Island House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi loses an attempt to stop an ethics complaint against his bid for a seat on the state Supreme Court.
The state Ethics Commission voted Tuesday to deny Shekarchi’s motion to dismiss the complaint filed in May.
The Ethics Commission voted June 2 to further investigate the complaint.
The question is whether Shekarchi’s attempt for a lifetime spot on the bench violates Rhode Island’s anti-corruption revolving door law.
The law prevents sitting lawmakers from taking most other state jobs for at least a year after leaving office.
Shekarchi resigned as House Speaker on May 8 to seek nomination to the Supreme Court.
He kept his House seat.
That same day, Roger Williams University law professor Michael Yelnosky filed an ethics complaint.
Shekarchi argues a Supreme Court seat is an exemption from the revolving door law, like other constitutional offices including governor.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (4)
The Ethics Commission’s prosecutor argues the high court seat is not exempt.
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