“Governor, please call me now on an urgent matter.”
The nine words R.I. Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr. texted his boss at 2:51 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2023, maintain a polite and formal tone while conveying that time is of the essence. Less than two hours later, Alviti would stand in front of television cameras at RIDOT headquarters and, in a voice fading from a bout of bronchitis, make an announcement no one wanted to hear: All four westbound lanes of I-195 on the Washington Bridge would be closed to traffic because the bridge was at risk of collapse.
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The sudden closure of the bridge crossed by 96,000 vehicles a day effectively cut Rhode Island in half. But eight pages of texts released by Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s office on Feb. 6 show the governor and the state’s transportation chief putting on a united front.
The texts, which span six weeks, were requested by NBC-10 under the Access to Public Records Act on Jan. 23.
The urgency Alviti expressed the day of the bridge closure quickly disappears in the text record and is replaced with expressions of gratitude and validation. Despite the mounting crisis caused by traffic gridlock in and around the city of East Providence, neither McKee nor Alviti seems to express any sense of alarm or distress.
There is also no mention of the Washington Bridge in either of their communication.
The next text between the two was sent on Dec. 12 by McKee to Alviti: “Thanks for your leadership today ……….now we execute the plan on time and we will celebrate with your team ……..enjoy your evening Dan.”
The feeling was apparently mutual.
“Thanks Gov. Great teamwork today. Thanks for your support and leadership,” Alviti replied.
Messages also reveal the two mens’ preference for speaking over the phone instead of typing with their fingers. Seven of the 28 texts — a quarter of all sent — were requests for calls or apologies for missed calls.
“Hi Gov. I just saw that you called me earlier,” Alviti messaged on Dec. 21. “Sorry I missed your call. Call me back anytime.”
One black square represents a block of text sent by Alviti on Jan. 16 at 8:16 p.m. McKee’s Deputy Executive Counsel Andrea Shea issued a letter to NBC-10 Tuesday saying the redacted text “is not a public record as that is defined under the APRA.”
Another message, sent by Alviti on Jan. 24 at 7:13 p.m. was also redacted because it was not on one of the dates NBC-10 requested. But an uncovered page shows it was just more gratitude from the RIDOT director to his boss.
“It is hard for me to express to you in words the depth of appreciation I have for the support and leadership you provide to me and my team,” Alviti wrote. “We will not let you down.”
No texts were sent between Alviti and McKee between Dec. 21 and the start of the new year.
But that does not mean there was no contact between the two during that time, McKee spokesperson Andrea Palagi told Rhode Island Current Wednesday.
“They were in constant communication — phones, meetings,” Palagi said. “Clearly there were just no texts.”
McKee did text Alviti on Jan. 2, wishing him a happy New Year and asking when state officials could announce the end of the short-lived free commuter ferry service between Bristol and Providence. The ferry cost the state $50,000 per day and even though it had a capacity of 1,100 passengers per trip, it attracted only 300 to 400 passengers per day.
“Getting final tally this afternoon and we can announce as soon as tomorrow if you like,” Alviti replied. “And Happy and blessed New Year to you and your family Gov!”
The announcement about the ferries came three days later, with service officially ending Jan. 19.
Christopher Shea is a staff writer for the Rhode Island Current.
