Why the eastbound portion of the Washington Bridge is safe but the westbound isn't
PROVIDENCE – If the westbound portion of the I-195 Washington Bridge is too dangerous to drive on, then how can the eastbound portion be safe?
It's a reasonable question, and the short answer is that what most drivers think of as one bridge is really two — or three, if you count the span for the bike path.
Eastbound and westbound sides of Washington Bridge actually separate
The highway's eastbound lanes are found on the bridge officially known as "Washington Bridge 200" or "Washington Bridge South." That bridge was originally built in 1930, according to the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, but completely reconstructed starting in 2003.
Until it was abruptly closed on Monday, westbound traffic used a parallel bridge officially known as "Washington Bridge 700" or "Washington Bridge North," which was completed in 1971, according to the preservation commission. (Some sources place the date at 1968.)
If you never noticed there were two separate bridges, that's the idea: The newer bridge was designed to echo the older bridge's arched form, according to the preservation commission.
More: See the damaged that caused the closure of the Washington Bridge
The replacement for the old eastbound bridge was built in the gap in between the two bridges, according to a 2004 article in "Public Roads," a Federal Highway Administration publication.
"To save time, reduce costs, protect the environment, and preserve a portion of the historically significant bridge, RIDOT maintained a goal throughout the design process to reuse as much of the original structure as possible," the article explained.
In other words, the eastbound bridge was built in the mid-2000s, but looks older because it incorporates historic materials from the previous bridge.
Because the eastbound bridge was rebuilt within the last 15 years, it doesn't have the same problems that were found on the westbound bridge, Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti said at a Tuesday news conference.
The westbound portion of the bridge has been under construction for years: RIDOT did some repair work in 2017 and 2018, then resumed construction in 2021. Prior to Monday's emergency closure, that project was expected to be completed in 2026, at a cost of $78 million.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Washington Bridge closure: Is I-195 eastbound safe?
