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Dive brief:
- The Washington I-195 bridge, a key gateway to Providence, Rhode Island, is slated to be demolished and replaced, according to a inspection report released Thursday. State officials abruptly closed the bridge in December 2023 after an engineer pointed out safety concerns from broken tie rods.
- A subsequent audit identified more problems, including unsound concrete, corrosion and “structural deficiencies that cannot be feasibly repaired,” according to the report. The authors concluded that “the decision to close the bridge was the right and responsible decision.”
- Demolition and replacement of the bridge could cost as much as $300 million, Rhode Island DOT Director Peter Alviti Jr. said at a news conference with Gov. Dan McKee on Thursday, but he stressed that the sum is just an estimate. Alviti said there will be more clarity on the project’s cost and schedule after a design-build contract is awarded, which he expects to happen in July.
Diving knowledge:
The westbound Washington Bridge opened in 1968 and carried nearly 100,000 vehicles each day over the Seekonk River. In 2023 suddenly closure immediately backed up traffic and has since disrupted life in the area, according to news reports.
The investigation found that at least two of the 12 steel rods holding the main girders in place were sheared at pier 7 and “if all the tie rods had failed at one pier, the span would have become unstable and would have collapsed.” The report’s authors agreed that demolishing and rebuilding the span is the best option, as the superstructure and all or part of the bridge’s substructure would have to be replaced to meet code.
McKee said his administration is investigating what caused the failure.
“I am deeply disturbed by the additional structural deficiencies identified by the in-depth review of the bridge,” McKee. he said in a press release. “When we have all the facts, we will demand full responsibility from any responsible party. The day of responsibility will come.”
The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the December 2023 shutdown, specifically an “allegation that false claims for payment for services and/or payment were submitted to the U.S. government or false statements in support of such payments.” The Providence Journal reported.
The governor’s office said it chose engineer McNary, Bergeron & Johannesen of Broomfield, Colo., which is not affiliated with any current construction projects in Rhode Island, to oversee and review the information gathered for the report. other engineering consultants to ensure its accuracy.
What went wrong?
Officials were aware the bridge was in poor condition — Alviti wrote about its poor condition in a 2019 grant application — and rehabilitation work was underway when an engineer found the critical damage. A consortium of Barletta Heavy Division/Aetna Bridge Co., based in Canton, Mass., and Warwick, Rhode Island, respectively, was repairing the bridge under a $78 million contract awarded in 2021.
When in Dallas AECOM performed a routine inspection in July 2023, he rated the bridge as poor overall, but said the tie rods were in good working order, according to The Providence Journal. AECOM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The governor said about half of the $78 million has been spent on repairs and he intends to use the remaining money to offset the costs of the new bridge. Barletta-Aetna is doing emergency work on the bridge now under a separate contract, including reworking a temporary traffic pattern.
McKee said he has reached out to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about the situation and has gotten assurances that Rhode Island will receive federal aid for a new period. Buttigieg is visiting the state Tuesday to push the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Both the degradation and design-build contracts will be put out to bid, according to the release, and the new bridge could be completed within 18 to 24 months after the contract is awarded. Demolition is expected to be completed by March 2025.
