McKee confirms it. Washington Bridge federal funding is signed, sealed, delivered

There’s one less uncertainty surrounding the Washington Bridge demolition and rebuild, with the state securing the $221 million in federal funding, Gov. Dan McKee announced in a press conference Thursday.

Much like the hastily put-together press event, for which reporters were notified 15 minutes prior, confirmation of the federal grant money came abruptly — with the grant agreement signed digitally at 3:04 p.m. Thursday, according to a copy obtained by Rhode Island Current.

Rhode Island was awarded the pair of federal infrastructure grants under Biden-era spending authorized by Congress. But what seemed like a solid win suddenly stood on shaky ground after President Donald Trump took office, with federal funding across a slew of agencies and initiatives suddenly paused or frozen. A federal lawsuit filed in District Court in January by 23 Democratic attorneys general, including Rhode Island’s Peter Neronha, highlighted uncertainty surrounding federal funding for the Washington Bridge as one of many “irreparable harms” the new administration’s actions could cause to states.

Letters sent by Rhode Island’s congressional delegation and state officials seeking confirmation of the bridge funding went unanswered.

Until Thursday. That’s when the state signed the agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, committing the promised federal allotment to the project, McKee said. Already, the state has tapped $30 million of the funding as it advances the demolition work and prepares to issue a rebuild contract in June.

The agreement authorizes up to $208.4 million in fiscal 2025, with the remaining $12.5 million to be available in fiscal 2026. 

“This is good news for everyone, including the contractors bidding on the project, knowing there will be no delays,” McKee said. “The timing is right.”

Rhode Island’s congressional delegation touted the news as a “success” in a joint statement Thursday.

“This is a positive outcome and I hope the state will accelerate progress toward a new bridge that meets capacity and safety needs now and in the future,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said. “Everyone recognizes the importance of this project to the community and the need for safe, modern, and resilient infrastructure. This federal money is vital to completing this massive project that is already underway.”

The final stage of demolition for the westbound highway began this month. Meanwhile the top two bidders competing to build the replacement bridge have until May 30 to submit pricing proposals to the state. A winner will be chosen in June, though the completion date and cost for the colossal infrastructure job has not been determined.

The newly inked federal agreement for Washington Bridge funding does not cover federal funds appropriated for other state infrastructure repair, including $251 million to rehabilitate bridges along the Interstate 95 corridor.

However, McKee said he was optimistic based on U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s willingness to hand over the Washington Bridge money.

“He clearly understands the economy is attached to these infrastructure improvements,” McKee said.

McKee plans to speak with Duffy by phone “early next week,” he said.