The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) completed the accelerated inspection of 230 structurally deficient bridges by the promised mid-August timeframe. The program resulted in the emergency closure and accelerated reconstruction of the Park Avenue Bridge in Cranston; emergency lane closures and repairs at the Pawtucket Avenue Bridge in East Providence, and the Mineral Spring Avenue Bridge in Pawtucket; and minor repairs at more than two dozen other structures around the state.
The program was initiated after four separate bridge issues were reported in just eight weeks earlier this year. In the interest of public safety, the Department began the program in May, with the goal of inspecting each bridge by the middle of August.
One out of every five Rhode Island bridges is structurally deficient. According to 2014 Federal Highway Administration data, Rhode Island ranks last among the 50 states in terms of structurally deficient bridges.
Among the most serious findings was the Park Avenue Bridge, which was closed after an inspection found significant deterioration in the bridge's timber deck.
