EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee isn’t committing to any timeline on when the Washington Bridge may be completed.
In March, state officials said they planned to reopen a new westbound Washington Bridge by 2026. That same month, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was in Rhode Island to tour the bridge, said he believed that would be an aggressive goal, but one that must be met.
When asked during a live interview on 12 News at 4 on Tuesday whether that timeline still held up, McKee said, “let’s find out,” backing away from the original fall 2026 deadline.
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When pressed on whether the project’s end date would extend into 2027 or 2028, McKee declined to go into specifics. “As quickly as it can be done, as safely as it can be done,” he said.
Earlier this month, demolition on the bridge got underway but was later paused due to legal reasons.
The timeframe for selecting a contractor also remains unclear. The state’s initial request for proposals ended with no bidders, but McKee said “some action” is “imminent.”