RIDOT receives bids for old Sakonnet River Bridge demolition

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today announced that it received
six bids for the demolition of the old Sakonnet River Bridge across the Sakonnet
River between Portsmouth and Tiverton. The lowest apparent bid of $9.4 million
was submitted by S & R Corporation. RIDOT expects to award a contract for the project
in late winter, with work commencing in Spring 2017.
«The Sakonnet River Bridge is located in one of the most beautiful parts of this
state,» Director Peter Alviti Jr. said. «We’re eager to complete the contract award
process so we can get the contractor started on this long overdue effort to remove
the old bridge.»
This contract is the first of two contracts to remove the entire bridge, and will
focus on the bridge’s deck and superstructure elements. Once work begins, the removal
of the superstructure is expected to take approximately one year, and RIDOT will
make every effort to limit the impact of the work on the summer boating season.
The project will be completed in Spring 2018.
This phase of the demolition will include the removal of 17 spans between the bridge’s
piers, a total of 2,178 feet. This includes approximately 6.2 million pounds of
steel and 2,700 cubic yards of concrete. The contractor will provide RIDOT with
a detailed work plan and schedule for the demolition.
The apparent low bid is $11.1 million below the engineer’s estimate for this contract.
RIDOT tracks bid awards and cost estimates on its capital program and then updates
its 10-year plan annually based on overall increases and decreases.