Rhode Island Gov. McKee Faces Criticism Over Year-Long Washington Bridge Audit Secrecy Amid Calls for Legislative Hearing

A 64-page forensic audit by Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, quietly posted by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, found decades of missteps, shoddy work and ignored warnings that left the westbound Washington Bridge in perilous condition before its December 2023 closure after a critical tie-down rod failure. The report, dated April 5, 2024, was withheld for more than a year and was released online late Friday as the state pursues lawsuits against about a dozen contractors alleged to have failed in bridge maintenance. Governor Dan McKee says he commissioned the review, shut the bridge for public safety, and was instructed by lawyers not to release the report because it could affect ongoing litigation. Legislative leaders, including House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson, called the findings “deeply troubling” and have demanded an oversight hearing with the possibility of putting state officials, including RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, under oath. McKee faces bipartisan political backlash — including from 2026 Democratic challenger Helena Foulkes and GOP critics — over the delay and perceived lack of transparency, with calls for accountability and even Alviti’s removal.