Rhode Island officials should have been aware of the problems that eventually led to the abrupt closure of the westbound Washington Bridge, according to a detailed forensic audit of decades of the bridge’s inspection reports and other documentation. The 64-page analysis by engineering firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. is dated April 2024, but was […]
Breaking Point: The Washington Bridge
Posted inEconomy, Local, Transportation
How safe are Rhode Island’s other bridges?
The Washington Bridge may have grabbed most of the headlines, but it is by no means the only piece of Rhode Island infrastructure in urgent need of repair. Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio identified 119 bridges listed as “Poor” in the most recent available data from the National Bridge Inventory, a federal survey […]
Posted inEconomy, Local
Two companies being sued over the Washington Bridge claim the state never flagged the bridge’s problems
Two of the companies being sued by the state of Rhode Island over the closure of the westbound Washington Bridge say the state did not tell them about concerns engineers raised about the bridge decades before they were hired for a rehabilitation project. The joint-venture of Barletta Heavy Division Inc. and Aetna Bridge Company – […]
Posted inEconomy, Local, Politics
New Washington Bridge expected by November 2028
The westbound Washington Bridge that carries I-195 is expected to be rebuilt by November 2028, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said Friday, setting a target for a return to normalcy for Rhode Island drivers. McKee identified Chicago-based Walsh Construction as the firm that will complete the new span — at a cost of up to […]
Posted inLocal, Transportation
Washington Bridge: Did Rhode Island miss critical warning signs ahead of the 2023 crisis?
When the westbound Washington Bridge was suddenly shut down in December 2023, never to re-open, many wondered if the crisis could have been prevented. An investigation by Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio found that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) may have failed to perform crucial inspections of the span that could […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Education, Politics, The Weekly Catch
RIC program cuts, warning signs about the Washington Bridge, and more
Rhode Island College recently announced it will cut 20 degree programs this fall, mostly in the humanities. We’ll hear from a professor and student at RIC who say the cuts are short-sighted, and were done with little input from faculty or students. And did the Rhode Island Department of Transportation miss the warning signs about the Washington Bridge? Our reporters talked with engineers who say that critical components deserved special attention years before the closure. Also, Newport Art Museum’s latest show features a 28-foot-long painting of a plaid whale. Plus: A look back on the week in Rhode Island politics, and a few tips on what to do this week.
Posted inArts And Culture, Local, Transportation
Crumbling bridges and sweet flavors: Warwick Ice Cream’s delicious take on Rhode Island’s infrastructure
When he first heard the news that state officials had condemned the Washington Bridge, Tom Bucci senior immediately thought: ice cream. “Crumbling bridge, sorta like crumbling ice cream,” he mused. On the spot, he came up with a name. Now he needed a flavor. The list of ingredients practically rattled off the tongue. “So, we […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Transportation
Breaking Point: A tale of two Rhode Island cities
Hospitality businesses are a more than $5 billion industry in Rhode Island. But the closure of the westbound Washington Bridge has commerce as well as commuters in a jam. According to an economic impact study conducted earlier this year by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association and Salve Regina University, the greatest impact was on Providence […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Federal food aid cuts hit RI, economic impacts of Washington Bridge issues, and more
More than 80,000 Rhode Islanders depend on food from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and its network of food pantries. But the Trump administration’s recent cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture put that food aid at risk. Also: Rhode Island PBS Weekly co-host and correspondent Pamela Watts tells us about the very different ways the closure of the westbound Washington Bridge has impacted the economy in Providence and Bristol County. Plus: we talk with the directors of “La Tempestad” at Trinity Rep and “Fat Ham” at the Wilbury Theatre Group – two fresh takes on Shakespearean classics. That and more on this week’s show.
Posted inLocal, Politics, Transportation
McKee says federal money for Washington Bridge is secured
The Trump administration has signed off on $220 million in previously appropriated federal grants to help replace the westbound Washington Bridge, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee announced during a hastily arranged late afternoon news conference at the Statehouse on Thursday. The governor thanked President Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “The full funding for […]
