Construction Drone Project Spotlight: Washington Bridge Seekonk River

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Project Spotlight

Washington Bridge Seekonk River

Providence RI

Foundation Testing and Consulting, LLC, provides geotechnical and materials testing for bridge substructure and foundation work. The historic Washington Bridge carries I-195, US-6/US-44, and US-1A across the Seekonk River, with a pedestrian span built in 1930 and a northbound section added in 1968.

In December 2023, RIDOT shut down the westbound span due to a critical structural failure discovered in anchor rods during routine inspections. RIDOT engaged contractors to demolish the failing westbound span in early 2025, utilizing barges and cranes over the Seekonk River with sediment and debris containment measures.

A $78 million rebuild of the north (westbound) span kicked off in late 2021, funded in part by a $25 million federal BUILD grant. The full replacement scope includes a new span, a new East Providence off-ramp, updated pedestrian-bike trails, ramp reconfiguration, and enhanced environmental mitigation under a $368 million MEGA-Grant-funded program.

Timeline & Costs:
The initial replacement budget was $250–300 million, later revised to a total project cost up to $427 million, with completion scheduled by November 2028 under a design-build contract awarded to Walsh/WSP.

Walsh’s contract includes provisions for early completion bonuses and daily penalties for delays.

Drone Brothers Aerial Documentation
Drone Brothers captured extensive aerial imagery and video under the mission “Washington Bridge Seekonk River”, producing mapping analytics, facade inspections, roadway and demolition progress, and event coverage suitable for client presentations and regulatory reporting.

Meet the Pilot

Michael - Drone Brothers Pilot
Warwick, Rhode Island
Pilot Qualifications:
  • FAA part 107 certified.
  • Up to $2M of liability insurance.
  • Specialist in progress captures on Construction sites.
  • Trained in flying DroneDeploy missions capturing photos, video tours, photo tours, panoramas, and mapping analytics including stockpile volumetrics, earthwork, cut-fill analysis, and facade inspection.
  • Trained on multiple drones, DSLRs, and 360 cameras.

Get a quote on your construction project today!