Cost and timeline for Washington Bridge to be announced Friday morning

Eighteen months after the unexpected closure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge, Rhode Islanders are finally about to get answers on how long a replacement will take and the cost.

Governor Dan McKee will announce the selected contractor for the new bridge during a press conference Friday at 10 a.m. at the State House. The two finalists competing for the contract are Walsh Construction of Chicago and a joint venture between American Bridge Company and MLJ Contracting of New York. The losing bidder will receive $1.75 million for participating in the process.

The bridge was abruptly shut down with barely any notice on December 11, 2023, after inspectors found a critical structural defect. The closure has brought daily chaos to I-195, a vital artery used by over 96,000 westbound drivers. In the aftermath, the state shifted all traffic onto the eastbound bridge, reconfiguring it to handle both directions with temporary lanes and barriers.

While officials initially hoped to reopen the westbound bridge within months, further assessments revealed it was beyond repair. A fast-tracked replacement plan failed last summer when no bids came in, forcing the state to restart the process.

The state’s original estimate for the new bridge was $368 million with $221 million in federal funding secured. The new number remains undeterminded. 

Meanwhile, the $98 million demolition of the old span is still underway. While the above-water structure was cleared in February, work on the underwater foundation is expected to continue through the end of this year.

McKee and Alviti have repeatedly assured the public that the eastbound bridge — built in the early 2000s — remains structurally sound, despite handling significantly more weight. Alviti has said he still expects the structure to last its full projected lifespan of 75 years.

The state is continuing pursuing legal action against several companies involved in previous work on the bridge.

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