"Washington Bridge Shutdown: Insights from RIDOT Emails"

Internal emails obtained by Target 12 reveal that engineers at RIDOT acknowledged the section of the Washington Bridge that triggered its sudden closure had been hard to see until construction work made it "noticeable." The emails shed light on state officials' frantic efforts to triage the crisis, with an engineer expressing concern about broken rods holding up the bridge. RIDOT's initial estimate of a three-month closure has now become indefinite, and federal authorities have begun investigating. The emails also show frustration about securing emergency federal funding, as the bridge hadn't collapsed or been damaged by a natural disaster.