Morgan Questions Effectiveness of RIDOT Spending for Providence Viaduct Bridge

GoLocalProv News Team

Morgan Questions Effectiveness of RIDOT Spending for Providence Viaduct Bridge

Patricia Morgan
House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan is questioning ten years of contract extensions on the I-95 South Viaduct Bridge Project.

“My office submitted various APRA requests and the information provided by the Department of Transportation opened up more questions than answers, which I find deeply troubling. A 2016 highway report shows that Rhode Island is among the worst states in the nation for cost-effectiveness of highway spending. The Providence Viaduct exemplifies this ineffectiveness and lack of efficiency for our taxpayer dollars,” said Morgan. She is a GOP candidate for Governor of Rhode Island.

The 2016 Highway Report

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The report shows that Rhode Island spends a large amount on highway maintenance compared to neighboring New England states. 

In the report, Rhode Island received an overall ranking of 47 out of 50 – last in New England and among the worst in the nation.

One example the report gives is the replacement of the southbound Providence viaduct. According to the report, the project started as a $1 million contract in 2008 and was awarded to Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB).

According to a report, the project grew to $25.7 million over a ten year period.

Morgan concluded, “Reading through independent studies and the documents provided by RIDOT, it is apparent that Rhode Islanders deserve a more open and transparent government. This is another example of the wasteful and unaccountable behavior that hardworking Rhode Islanders have come to expect.”


GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017

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