Federal Investigator on RIDOT Washington Bridge Failure Also Investigated 6/10 Contamination

Federal Investigator on RIDOT Washington Bridge Failure Also Investigated 6/10 Contamination

GoLocal has learned that the lead investigator from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), who is driving the investigation into the RIDOT Washington Bridge failure, has previously investigated another Director Peter Alviti-led RIDOT project.

The investigator is USDOT’s Special Agent Todd Collins, who was one of the investigators into the 6/10 contamination in the Olneyville section of Providence — one of the poorest sections of Rhode Island.

The two investigations have a lot in common — Alviti oversaw both the $410 million 6/10 project and the Washington Bridge rehab; both projects had the same lead contractor, Barletta Heavy Division, and now, it is the same investigator.

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Last Friday, Collins sent RIDOT officials by email the demand letter from the U.S. Department of Justice to the state to turn over documents relating to the Washington Bridge dating back to January 1, 2015, which is when Gina Raimondo was sworn into office as Governor of Rhode Island, and Peter Alviti became RIDOT director.

The email was sent to John Igliozzi, Alviti’s chief of staff. The former Providence City Councilman held a political fundraiser just one day after the Washington Bridge closure began — a night in which there were hours of delays on Rhode Island roads. Governor Dan McKee attended Igliozzi’s fundraiser that night.

Igliozzi is expected to be a candidate for Attorney General.

 

Collins on the Job

Collins is a graduate of the Criminal Investigations Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.  Additionally, he was the honor graduate of the Inspector General Training Academy, also at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.

He is a ten-year veteran of the OIG. The Inspector General (IG) Act passed Congress in 1978, and it established twelve Federal Offices of Inspector General (OIG), including the Department of Transportation OIG. The Act passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 388 to 6 and was later approved by the Senate by unanimous consent. President Jimmy Carter signed the IG Act into law and described the new statutory IGs as “perhaps the most important new tools in the fight against fraud.” 

 

6/10 Contamination Investigation

Just days after GoLocal first broke the story of the dumping of contaminated soil by the lead contractor — Barletta Heavy Machine — Collins and U.S. Department of Labor OIG investigator Susan Murphy began an investigation into the contamination.

According to whistleblower James White, the President of Local 57 of the International Union of Operating Engineers who first reported the dumping to GoLocal, Barletta brought in the material from two sites — the Jamaica Plain MBTA project and the Pawtucket/Central Fall Transportation Hub — another Barletta construction project.

The investigation led to a non-prosecution agreement between the U.S. Attorney and Barletta. Barletta paid $1.5 million. And, a top Barletta official, Dennis Ferreira, pled guilty to multiple charges.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha filed felony charges against both Barletta and Ferriera in January of 2023.

McKee has continued to defend Barletta's work on the Washington Bridge.