Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee marked the one-year anniversary of the emergency closing of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge by announcing two finalists to replace the structure. Despite initial missteps, McKee assured the public that progress is being made towards rebuilding the bridge. The two finalists to replace the bridge are the Walsh Group of Chicago and a joint venture between American Bridge Company of Pennsylvania and MLJ Contracting Corp. of New York. The finalist will be selected in June, with plans to start construction on the new bridge.
The emergency closing of the westbound Washington Bridge last December caused traffic congestion and economic hardships for businesses in the area. However, the addition of replacement lanes on the eastbound side has helped alleviate congestion. McKee mentioned that demolition of the superstructure of the westbound bridge is on track to be completed this winter, but the timeline and cost of the new bridge are still uncertain.
Rhode Island has received federal grants totaling over $200 million for the construction of the new bridge. Efforts to aid small businesses affected by the bridge closing are also ongoing. McKee expressed the importance of holding contractors accountable for the issues leading to the emergency closure of the bridge.
Despite the challenges, the eastbound Washington Bridge is expected to remain viable with proper maintenance for another 75 years. Officials are implementing systems to monitor the weight of traffic and the stability of the bridge as two-way traffic continues to use replacement lanes on the eastbound side.
Source
Photo credit thepublicsradio.org