Home Economy Government State lawmakers approve Crook Point Bridge authority plan

State lawmakers approve Crook Point Bridge authority plan

By

Matthew McNulty

-

04/17/2026

crook point bridge — STATE LAWMAKERS approved a bill on Thursday creating the Crook Point Bridge Authority to oversee the bridge’s ownership and future use. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MARY MACDONALD

PROVIDENCE – Both the Rhode Island House and Senate have approved legislation to create a new authority to take control of the long-abandoned Crook Point Bascule Bridge, advancing a proposal backed by city officials to preserve and potentially redevelop the structure. On Thursday, both chambers passed bills establishing the Crook Point Bridge Authority, an independent

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1 COMMENT

Mike Hogan 04/20/2026 At 7:38 am

Please don’t waste anymore taxpayer money on this eyesore. Take it down and open up the waterway.

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PROVIDENCE – Both the Rhode Island House and Senate have approved legislation to create a new authority to take control of the long-abandoned Crook Point Bascule Bridge, advancing a proposal backed by city officials to preserve and potentially redevelop the structure.

On Thursday, both chambers passed bills establishing the Crook Point Bridge Authority, an independent entity that would oversee ownership, maintenance and future use of the 117-year-old span over the Seekonk River.

Under the proposal, Mayor Brett P. Smiley would appoint a three-member board, subject to Providence City Council approval. The legislation still requires final passage in both chambers before heading to Gov. Daniel J. McKee for approval.

The move marks the latest step in a years-long debate over the future of the rusting railroad bridge, which has been stuck open since 1976.

State transportation officials have previously pushed for demolition, citing safety concerns and ongoing costs,

“The structure as it stands today is so badly deteriorated it cannot be repurposed for any use; it needs to be removed,” R.I. Department of Transportation chief of public affairs Charles St. Martin said in February.

RIDOT said the bridge costs roughly $10,000 per month to maintain and has required nearly $700,000 in maintenance and inspection costs over the past six years.

The agency said it has set aside $6.5 million in its capital plan for demolition.

Meanwhile, city leaders and preservation advocates have argued for saving the structure as a public asset.

Supporters of the new authority say it would provide a path forward by shifting responsibility from the state and allowing the city to pursue redevelopment plans, which have stalled since a 2021 design competition failed to move ahead.

On Feb. 4, the bridge was added to the Providence Preservation Society’s 2026 “Most Endangered Places” list.

Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.