PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — R.I. Rep. Enrique Sanchez didn’t mince words when asked for his thoughts on the Washington Bridge closure, which has upended the I-195 corridor for more than a month.
Sanchez expressed his frustration with the bridge closure and called upon Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Director Peter Alviti to step down “for the common good of Rhode Islanders.”
“There needs to be consequences,” Sanchez said. “It’s just an unprofessional lack of awareness and a lack of transparency.”
The westbound side of the bridge, which connects East Providence to Providence via I-195, has been closed since mid-December , when a junior engineer uncovered the critical failure of the steel anchor rods that hold its major beams in place.
Alviti warned Monday that the bridge may need to be demolished and rebuilt following the discovery of additional structural deficiencies , which may upend the three-month timeline he initially provided.
RIDOT: Engineers uncovered additional deficiencies on Washington Bridge