As one might expect, the sudden and henceforth sustained closure for the past 13 months of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge connecting the East Bay, as well as southeastern Massachusetts, with the rest of Rhode Island over Interstate 195 has had a significant negative economic impact.

However, if there is any hint of a "silver lining" for local businesses, those specifically in Bristol County (i.e. Warren, Barrington and Bristol), is that it's been a slight boon for establishments on and along the Route 114 corridor from County Road to Main Street to Hope Street as well as Metacom Avenue from here to the Mt. Hope Bridge.

At least that's the conclusion from what Salve Regina University and the Rhode Island Hospitality Association are calling a "comprehensive economic impact study" of the state's hospitality sector following the December 2023 bridge closure.

The research was conducted by Salve professor Sam Sacco and students in his Department of Business and Economics "Community Based Economic Impact" course. It utilized the Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS II) developed by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The study, they said, "analyzed direct, indirect and induced monetary impacts of the closure, specifically focusing on hospitality industries defined by North American Industry Classification System codes such as full-service restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues, breweries and food service providers."

“This study provides valuable data points that help the state better understand the effect of the Washington Bridge closure," Sacco was quoted in a press release issued by both parties. "This kind of impactful contribution is an example of Salve students putting our mission in motion; rigorous academics applied to serving the community.”

The end result showed a $114 million loss in statewide hospitality-related revenue since the immediate shuttering bridge's westside on December 11, 2023, which it concluded put "a substantial strain on local businesses and employment."

Of course, it's well known by now the westerly portion of the bridge was closed immediately late in the fall of 2023 due to catastrophic structural deficiencies. The 56-year-old span is currently in the process of being torn down with the expectation a new west side will begin to be reconstructed sometime during 2025.

According to the study, the hospitality business in Providence County, which includes East Providence and Providence, understandably suffered the greatest hardship with an estimated $56.7 million loss of revenue. Kent and Newport Counties had losses of $29.8 million and $16.5 million, respectively. Washington County, colloquially referred to as "South County," incurred $17.6 million in decreased income.

Bucking the trend, however, was little old local Bristol County, which the report claims had an increase of 2.3% in hospitality revenue, equaling a $6.6 million gain in profits.

The study suggests the increase shows "a shift in consumer travel patterns, with some economic activity being redistributed to areas less affected by the bridge closure."

The study drew on revenue data provided by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue’s Office of Revenue Analysis and applied conservative inflation projections to model economic activity under closure and non-closure scenarios. RIMS II multipliers were used to assess not only direct impacts, such as lost sales and jobs, but also the ripple effect on local suppliers, employees and vendors.

Employment in the industry, in general, was reduced as well. The study estimates some 1,342 positions being lost statewide within hospitality circles due to the crisis.

“This study provides critical insight into the economic toll of the Washington Bridge closure on our industry, but also highlights opportunities for recovery,” said Farouk Rajab, president and CEO of hospitality association. “The data underscores the urgency of continued legislative support to mitigate long-term challenges. Restaurants, hotels and other small businesses are the backbone of Rhode Island’s economy, and we need collaborative efforts with state lawmakers, as well as the community’s help to sustain them.”

Of note, the Washington Bridge study is the third commissioned for Salve by RIHA, following a 2021 study of the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic to the state’s hospitality and tourism industries and an analysis of the percentage of post-pandemic economic recovery.

In previous years Salve has also been commissioned to conduct economic impact studies for Newport’s Cliff Walk, Newport Hospital, Newport Contemporary Ballet, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in nearby Fall River, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport and the Naval Sea Command in Washington D.C.

Sharon McCarthy, the proprietor of the Hometown Tavern on Metacom Avenue, had a mixed reaction to the study when asked if it rang true for her establishment here in town.

McCarthy, who also owns businesses north and south of Hometown, the 133 Club in East Providence and the Irish American Athletic Club in Newport, has seen the affects of the closure in different ways for obvious reasons. The bridge conundrum ultimately turned into a proverbial double-edged sword.

"I don't think the bridge is that much of a factor at this point," McCarthy said of the current climate. "I look at it two ways. Did the bridge impact us? It did. But it was bad and it was also good. People didn't want to deal with it coming this way (towards the East Bay), but then people didn't want to deal with going the other way, so they stayed here. It is what it is at this point. I really don't think about it much anymore."

Hometown held its own, McCarthy said, based on its regular customers and from special events. Actually, she added, it was other external factors, like literally outside, that had a greater measure on her establishments last year.

"Hometown is a weird bird," McCarthy explained. "When the weather is good, it's bad for us. People don't want to be inside. The weather was so good for so long last year it hurt us. I think that affected us more than the bridge."

Cassandra Brimmer, co-owner along her husband and head chef Lou Cruz of Main Street's Rhody Roots Restaurant, shared McCarthy's thoughts about how the bridge crisis affected her establishment initially.

Brimmer said she gained a first-hand understanding of what was coming just after the closure when in her down time she attended a gathering in Warwick. It was there, from friends and acquaintances, she figured out how things might be going forward.

"I went to a party, a Christmas party in Warwick, and everyone was just petrified to go over the bridge and I said, 'guys, just look up the time on the GPS. It really isn't much different than it used to be.' And they are harping on the fact that they still will spend an hour or more on the bridge, which just isn't true," Brimmer said.

Eventually though, as the study found, locals here opted to do the same as their counterparts in the West Bay. They decided to stay on their side of the bridge. Business for Roots didn't pick up right away in the months after the closure. It was more of a gradual growth over time.

"We were about the same for a while and then it kind of picked up around August, which was a weird time for us to pick up. Normally that's a little slower for us," Brimmer added.

She continued, wryly, about the difference in Roots' receipts year over year, 2023 to 2024, "We improved. The sales improved for sure, not by a ton. But I'm not mad about it."

And like McCarthy, a year on Brimmer isn't fazed much about the bridge situation or anything else, especially considering she and Cruz opened Rhody Roots just over five years ago, in October of 2019, mere months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We're happy to still be here," Brimmer added. "Whatever happens, we're gonna make it work. I mean, we literally started with the worst thing that's ever happened in this country in 100 years. If we can deal with that, we can deal with this bridge debacle."