Washington Bridge (Providence)
Bridge in Providence to East Providence, Rhode Island, USA. Part of Rhode Island.
At a glance
| Source | Author | Role | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|
| This Bridge’s Bizarre Design Nearly Caused It To Collapse | Practical Engineering | subject | The westbound span was closed in December 2023 after broken tie-down rods were found under the navigation span. |
This Bridge’s Bizarre Design Nearly Caused It To Collapse — Practical Engineering (2025)
Source: Original · Readwise highlight
This is the Washington Bridge that carries I-195 over the Seekonk River in Providence, Rhode Island… or at least, it was the Washington Bridge.
- Role: subject
- In the article: The westbound span was closed in December 2023 after broken tie-down rods were found under the navigation span. It was then demolished. The video traces how a 1960s design compromise led to hidden, uninspectable structural elements.
- Why it matters: The whole piece is a case study of this one structure. Its design came from a fight over how it looked beside the 1930 arch bridge next to it, so the site is central.