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 […]
Washington Bridge
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for June 13, 2025
The General Assembly session is almost all over but the crying. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** 1. STORY OF THE WEEK: In some ways, the $14.3 billion budget […]
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 inLocal, Politics
McKee objects to Trump’s deployment of California National Guard
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has been in the news a lot over the past few weeks, from lackluster numbers in a poll from the University of New Hampshire, to new hires for his re-election campaign, to the announcement of a plan to replace the westbound Washington Bridge. With those issues swirling, The Public’s Radio […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for June 6, 2025
The tempers are rising with the temperature at the Statehouse. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** 1. STORY OF THE WEEK: When does the calculus of doing nothing outweigh […]
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, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for May 30, 2025
There’s no truth to the rumor that the Red Sox’ mojo was MIA when the latest time capsule was unearthed on the former site of McCoy Stadium. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign […]
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 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 […]
