PROVIDENCE – A $125.4 million federal grant package is on its way for Rhode Island's efforts to demolish and replace the westbound Washington Bridge.
The funding, announced Friday, draws from the National Infrastructure Project Assistance "Mega Grant" program, which the U.S. Department of Transportation says was established to support "large, complex projects that are difficult to fund by other means and likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility or safety benefits."
The grant program was created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The federal government distributed a total of $850 million in the competitive grant round.
The funding, a combination of two "mega grants," will serve as "a major down payment on replacing the Washington Bridge," Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in a statement.
Still, "There is a lot more work to do to get the bridge back up and running," Reed said, "and hopefully this boost of federal funding will accelerate progress.
"We will continue to pursue additional funding streams because this bridge is a vital lifeline for commuters, residents and businesses," he continued. "We’ve got to get it replaced and done right so it’s there for future generations."
The R.I. Department of Transportation currently estimates that removing and replacing the bridge will cost $426.5 million total, spread across $58.2 million to demolish the structure and $368.3 million to replace it.
Additionally, officials anticipate that the state will require another $46 million in related emergency expenses, such as work to stabilize the old bridge and other actions to support "state and municipal safety and transportation-related expenses."
Rhode Island has so far applied for a total of $220.9 million in funding to complete the project.
Since its emergency closure in December 2023, economic and traffic difficulties have continued, while the process of demolishing and reconstructing a new bridge has stalled. While the state has secured a contractor to demolish the bridge, officials have yet to find a company that will rebuild it.
Earlier this week, officials also halted the demolition of the bridge that began on Sept. 8 in order to preserve evidence for an ongoing lawsuit that the state filed against 13 companies involved with the bridge's upkeep.
"The Washington Bridge situation has been a headache for drivers and small businesses, but I am very pleased to announce that federal help is on the way to build a new bridge,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said in a statement.
"Once again, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has come through for Rhode Islanders in a big way," he continued. This is a great start, and we will continue working together with the Biden-Harris administration to secure the funding that the state needs to get the job done right."
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
