The U.S. Department of Transportation has finalized a $221 million federal grant for Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge rebuild, allowing the long-delayed project to finally move forward. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy signed the agreement this week, calling it part of the Trump Administration’s push to clear a backlog of more than 3,000 grants that had been approved but never executed.
“Since coming into office, my team has discovered an unprecedented backlog of grants leftover from the previous administration,” said Duffy. “This backlog prevented real infrastructure from being built and funded. Under the Trump Administration, we’ve ripped out this red tape and are getting back to what matters. As part of our work to deliver real results, we are pleased to announce $221 million in grants for Rhode Island’s Washington Bridge — a critical link that carries thousands of vehicles a day.”
The westbound span of the Washington Bridge, which connects Providence and East Providence over the Seekonk River, has been closed since December 2023 after engineers found major structural damage during construction. Investigators found failing concrete girders, severed tie rods, and other safety issues. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation later determined the bridge needed to be fully replaced.
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“This is another sign of continued progress in our work to build a modern, soundly constructed Washington Bridge that will outlast our lifetimes,” said Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee. “I want to thank our congressional delegation for their continued support in securing this funding.”
At a Senate hearing last week, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse publicly thanked both Duffy and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, the Republican chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, for helping move the funding forward. “Secretary Duffy, I also want to thank you for your team’s work delivering the funding for a number of discretionary grants for the past week, including those Washington Bridge funds,” Whitehouse said.
The Washington Bridge is a critical connection for drivers between Providence and communities in southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. The westbound span, built in 1969, has five lanes of traffic and links several major highways, including I-95, I-295, US-6, RI-10, and RI-146.
