Washington
Timeline of the Washington Bridge closure: Here’s how it all happened
If you’ve tried to get in and out of the East Bay the past two months, you’ve probably noticed – while in traffic – there’s a problem with the westbound span of the Washington Bridge, which takes Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River.
Understanding what went wrong with the bridge is challenging – the state has an army of engineers and consultants working on that now.
How did it happen? And how has it played out? Here’s a timeline:
Friday Dec. 8: An engineer and a ‘critical finding’
Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, 1:40 p.m.: Andrew Prezioso, a structural engineer and team leader for bridge design contractor VHB, emails Rhode Island Department of Transportation 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. Another two have narrowed significantly, a sign of stress.
This video led to the shutdown of the Washington Bridge
This video, filmed by an engineer inspecting the bridge, shows the bouncing that led to RIDOT closing the westbound lanes of the Washington Bridge.
2:42 p.m.: RIDOT Managing Engineer Keith Gaulin responds in a group email: “Based on our phone conversation, it seems there are no immediate actions to be taken right at this moment as we try to determine other short and long-term solutions.”
He says it is unclear whether the damage is old or new and asks to set up a meeting Monday to discuss it further.
Monday, Dec. 11: Shutdown of the bridge
Monday, Dec. 11, 11:30 a.m. – noon: Engineers from RIDOT and VHB are invited to a “Washington Bridge Critical Finding Discussion” virtual meeting. Prezioso shares a video of bridge beams “bouncing.” At some point on Monday afternoon RIDOT Director Peter Alviti Jr. is briefed on the bridge and agrees with “the recommendation from the engineers that the bridge should be closed,” according to RIDOT spokesman Charles St. Martin.
2:52 p.m.: Alviti calls Gov. Dan McKee to tell him there is a problem with the bridge’s westbound span. “The director contacted the governor shortly after deciding to close the bridge,” St. Martin has said.
4:40 p.m.: An email alert is sent to Rhode Island news outlets saying Alviti “will host a press conference to discuss the closure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge due to the finding of a critical failure of some original bridge components from the 1960s.”
5 p.m.: At the news conference, at RIDOT headquarters on Capitol Hill, Alviti, the only senior official present, tells reporters the potential failure of old parts of the bridge are “such that it could potentially be the cause of a catastrophic failure” and that I-195 West is closed to traffic.
5:30 p.m.: McKee makes previously scheduled visit to Hope High School basketball practice in Providence.
Why Rhode Island closed half of the Washington Bridge
Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr. explains why the state shut down half of the primary link between eastern and western Rhode Island.
Tuesday, Dec. 12: Catastrophic traffic
Tuesday, Dec, 12, 4:20 a.m.: Cheyenne Cazeault, policy advisor in McKee’s office, alerts state officials to conference call with municipal leaders that morning about the bridge. Morning commute times double, triple or more with the highway only open heading east.
11:30 a.m.: McKee joins Alviti and other officials for a news conference about the bridge closure. McKee calls it “an event that cannot be avoided and cannot be predicted.” Alviti says “we averted a major catastrophe.” Repairs are estimated to take three months.
4 p.m. – 8 p.m.: The evening commute is worse than the morning, with drivers who crossed the river quickly in the morning now marooned going the other way as East Providence side streets gridlock with motorists trying to get to the Henderson Bridge as an alternative. Some guess it might be faster to drive north to I-95 in Pawtucket; others head south to the Pell Bridge in Newport.
Dec. 13–21: Emergency lanes open
Wednesday, Dec. 13, 5:56 p.m.: Pregnant women are advised not to try to cross the Seekonk to get to the hospital by car and instead to call an ambulance.
Friday Dec. 15, Before dawn: An emergency bypass allows two lanes of westbound traffic to use two lanes of the eastbound span, easing some the worst congestion and spreading it out more evenly to both directions.
Watch reporters race to downtown Providence during bridge closure
Two reporters race to downtown Providence from East Providence City Hall to see what the best commuting option is.
Monday, Dec. 18: RIDOT tasks bridge consultant Michael Baker and its subcontractors to conduct 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.: Ferry service from Bristol to Providence begins. Ridership is low.
Jan. 20–28: A federal investigation opens
Wednesday, Jan. 20.: Ferry service ends.
Monday, Jan. 22: Alviti says engineers are still trying decide how best to repair the bridge and tearing it down can’t be ruled out.
Friday, Jan. 26, 10:20 a.m.: The U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island informs RIDOT it is investigating allegations of false claims for payment on the Washington Bridge and demands documents going back to January 2015. McKee’s office publicly announces the investigation at 6 p.m. and says he will be receiving direct updates from engineers on the repairs.
More: Feds probe alleged ‘false claims’ of work, inspections on Washington Bridge. What we know.
Earlier that morning, Alviti had told East Bay lawmakers that engineers might not have a plan to repair the bridge until the end of February, early March.
Monday, Jan. 28: McKee announces that he has dispatched top aide Joseph Almond to monitor the DOT’s response to the bridge closure.