Structural deterioration that forced the December 2023 partial closure of Providence, R.I.’s Washington Bridge is more severe than originally thought, according to state transportation officials, necessitating demolition and replacement of the 56-year-old westbound span.
According to the Rhode Island Dept. of Transportation, an in-depth inspection of the 1,671-ft-long Seekonk River crossing was performed by a team of engineering companies and reviewed by McNary, Bergeron & Johannesen, a third-party bridge construction firm.