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.