EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — For more than three months, people who live and work near the Washington Bridge have been dealing with increased traffic caused by the closure of its westbound side.

It’s a reality they’ll have to live with for at least another two years, after Rhode Island officials announced Thursday that the structure must be torn down and replaced. Engineers inspected the bridge and determined that it can’t be saved, having found issues beyond those that prompted the closure in the first place.

Officials estimate that traffic won’t be flowing again on that side of the bridge until sometime in 2026.

Read more at wpri.com.