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 […]
RIDOT
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 inLocal, Transportation
Neronha says accountability on Washington Bridge will take time
Peter Alviti, director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, agreed almost two months ago to do an interview about the Washington Bridge. Altivi’s office canceled the interview three days before it was supposed to happen, so we instead talked with Attorney General Peter Neronha. Here are some highlights from the interview. You can watch […]
Posted inLocal, Transportation
Who’s responsible for the Washington Bridge failure?
More than one year after the westbound Washington Bridge was abruptly shut down, critical questions remain unanswered. “Folks really want to know why did this happen?” said state Rep. June Speakman (D- District 68). She represents constituents in Bristol and Warren, on the east side of the bridge. The westbound Washington Bridge carried traffic on […]
Posted inStories
Winter storm blankets Rhode Island with snow
Check parking bans, closings, and cancellations here. Heavy snowfall Saturday night and into the day Sunday blanketed much of the region. As of late morning, the whole state, except Block Island, remained under a Winter Storm Warning through 4 p.m. Sunday. But according to the National Weather Service, the brunt of the storm appears to […]
Posted inStories
Winter storm warning in effect for Rhode Island
Check parking bans, closings, and cancellations here. Gov. Dan McKee’s office says the state is prepared for the impact of the winter storm coming through the Northeast region this weekend. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation, or RIDOT, has 200 state trucks and over 250 vendor trucks available to respond, McKee’s office said in a […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, Transportation
State of RI sues 13 companies over Washington Bridge
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha announced Friday that the state is suing 13 companies that worked on the Washington Bridge, in an effort “to hold accountable those companies responsible for the near-miss catastrophic closure of the bridge and to recover the significant resources required to rebuild the bridge and compensate the state.” In a […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Transportation
RIDOT will add two new lanes over the Washington Bridge
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday plans to introduce a new traffic pattern to improve travel times over the Washington Bridge in Providence. State transportation officials say they plan to add one new eastbound and one new westbound lane in eight weeks. That will bring the total number of lanes from four […]
Posted inArticle, Local, Politics
Lawmakers vent frustration over Washington Bridge
The meeting at the Statehouse gave legislators an opportunity to share the frustration of constituents dealing with traffic congestion and longer commutes, even if the central question about the bridge crisis still remains unanswered for now. “How could this become so critical, so quickly?” asked state Rep. Julie Casimiro (D-North Kingstown), referring to how the […]
