Rhode Island is set to receive over $125 million in federal grant money to replace the westbound Washington Bridge which was suddenly closed in December after engineers discovered the highway was at risk of collapse. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
Rhode Island will receive $125.4 million in federal grant funding to replace the westbound Interstate 195 Washington Bridge — nearly $100 million short of its initial ask, and one-third of preliminary cost estimates for the project.
The award was announced Friday morning by Gov. Dan McKee’s office and the state’s congressional delegation.
“This is a huge win for Rhode Island in a highly competitive grant cycle,” McKee said in a statement. “We used every tool in our toolbox to illustrate that this project is our top priority.”
The westbound Washington Bridge — which had carried about 96,000 vehicles per day across the Seekonk River — suddenly closed in December after engineers discovered broken anchor rods that put the highway at risk of collapse. Since then, state officials have scrambled to get the bridge demolished and replaced as soon as possible — though it’s been a bumpy road.
The latest federal funding comes via a U.S. Department of Transportation National Infrastructure Project Assistance discretionary grant. The state initially sought $221 million out of the total $850 million pool of federal funds available for grants nationwide.
State officials previously stated if they did not secure the full funding, they would tap into a tax-exempt debt-financing mechanism known as Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles, borrowing against future federal transportation funding.
Rhode Island Commerce Corp., the quasi-public state economic development arm, approved a plan in July to borrow up to $140 million — out of a possible $334.6 million max — to cover the emergency repair and demolition costs in July.
All four members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation have promised “to pursue other avenues of federal bridge funds to help pay for the project.”
“There is a lot more work to do to get the bridge back up and running, and hopefully this boost of federal funding will accelerate progress,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said in a statement. “We’ve got to get it replaced and done right so it’s there for future generations.”
State officials have yet to share an updated price tag on the replacement. Reed’s office listed the cost of the design-build process at $368.3 million, but McKee spokesperson Andrea Palagi clarified that was based on estimates made in May.
Financials behind the rebuild project are expected to be clarified after the state issues a second request for proposals, which has yet to happen as of Friday. The initial request — posted April 30 with a July 3 deadline to respond — drew no bidders.
Demolition, which began mid-August but was put on pause Tuesday for the state’s legal team to preserve evidence in its ongoing lawsuit against the 13 firms who previously worked on the bridge, is estimated to cost $58 million — assuming contractor Aetna Bridge Co. completes work ahead of schedule.
Most of the bridge was expected to be torn down by the end of January, according to the proposal Aetna submitted to RIDOT. The state required the demolition to be complete by March 2025 in its bid request.
This story will be updated.
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