A forensic audit the McKee administration has refused to release for more than a year shows state officials should have been aware of growing structural issues tied to the westbound Washington Bridge long before it abruptly closed in December 2023.

The 64-page forensic audit, conducted by Virginia-based WJE Associates, shows the McKee administration was “entirely justified” in closing the westbound bridge to traffic to protect public safety.

But the auditors also blamed everyone — including state officials — for issues repeatedly raised about the structural problems that ultimately failed. They included decades of neglect and ineffective repairs, chronic poor maintenance, flawed oversight and a failure to act on recommendations.

“Many of the issues highlighted in this report show that program managers, bridge inspectors, and designers should have and could have been aware of problems that were developing,” WJE auditors wrote in a draft report dated April 5, 2024.

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