With the demolition and replacement cost for the westbound Washington Bridge rising to more than $400 million, Rhode Island GOP Chairman Joe Powers staged a news conference Tuesday to sharply criticize how a string of Democratic leaders have handled the situation.
The administration of Gov. Dan McKee disclosed the $400 million figure on Monday – over $100 million more than initially projected – estimating that it will cost $40.5 million to demolish the westbound bridge, and $368.3 million for the design-build process.
The governor’s office said Monday it will pursue a discretionary U.S. Department of Transportation grant to pay for 60% of the expense. McKee’s administration said the governor also submitted a budget amendment to borrow up to $334.6 million to pay more of the bridge replacement cost, in case the state does not get the federal grant.
Speaking at India Point Park in Providence, with a view of the bridge, Powers said the situation reflects mismanagement and missed signs by McKee and his predecessors in the governor’s office.
“The Democrats in leadership have either shown incompetence or irresponsibility and it’s time that they’re held accountable,” said Powers, who was joined by a small number of GOP officials from various cities and towns. “DOT Director Alviti’s statement about saving lives by shutting down the bridge is a farce. The reality is that they put over 90,000 lives at risk on a daily basis.”
The Providence Journal recently reported that a state contractor raised a concern about the westbound bridge almost 10 years ago, although the contractor later had second thoughts about the initial view.
The news conference was the most visible form of criticism by the Rhode Island GOP since the westbound Washington Bridge was closed on an emergency basis in December.
Asked why such an event had not been staged sooner, Powers said the Republican Party did not want to engage in a knee-jerk reaction.
Republicans hold just 14 of 113 seats in the General Assembly, although Powers said he believes frustration over the bridge will enable the party to gain 5-10 seats in November.
The GOP chairman said area small businesses have been invited to a town hall-style meeting at the Riviera restaurant at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13 to share their concerns. He said McKee and East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva have been invited.
The state Department of Transportation recently reconfigured the eastbound portion of the bridge so three lanes of travel go in both directions. By most accounts, the new pattern has significantly improved the flow of traffic.
The McKee administration has hired a legal team to root out possible wrongdoing by contractors who worked on the Washington Bridge in the past and to seek compensation.
During a news conference in early March, McKee vowed to bring accountability for a situation that snarled traffic and frustrated Rhode Islanders for months, but the forensic audit planned by the administration has yet to materialize.
During a separate event Monday in Middletown, former Gov. Gina Raimondo, now the U.S. secretary of Commerce, declined to directly respond to a question about the bridge.
McKee, who was at the Middletown event, offered this response when asked when the forensic audit will emerge: “I think we’re still working to align the legal process with the engineering work … We need to make sure we maximize any of the financial recovery that we can.”
