Rhode Island files lawsuit against 13 companies that worked on troubled Washington Bridge

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee announced Friday that the state has filed a lawsuit against 13 companies that provided design, construction and inspection services related to the troubled Washington Bridge.

The bridge was partially shut down over safety concerns in December. McKee said in March that the bridge would need to be demolished and replaced.

McKee's comments at the time came after an independent review of the bridge — which carries Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River from Providence to East Providence and serves as a key gateway to Providence — found additional structural deficiencies requiring that it be replaced.

McKee said the lawsuit filed Friday seeks to hold accountable those companies responsible for the near-miss catastrophic closure of the bridge and to recover the significant resources required to rebuild the bridge and compensate the state.

In the lawsuit, the state argues that the companies failed to timely and adequately identify worsening structural issues that ultimately led to the sudden and unexpected closure of the bridge.

The lawsuit also alleged there were multiple failures over multiple years to bring problems with the bridge to the attention of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.

“In the nearly nine months since the abrupt closure, our economy has borne an immense cost, and our state has and will continue to have to expend significant resources as a result," state Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a written statement.

During the demolition and construction of the new bridge, the state will reroute six lanes of traffic — three in each direction — on the eastbound bridge structure.

The sudden westbound closure in mid-December initially wreaked havoc on traffic, turning a 40- to 45-minute drive into several hours, stranding commuters for hours and sending others veering off their normal path. Some schools closed and held classes remotely.

The bridge carries nearly 100,000 vehicles every day.