PROVIDENCE – Walsh Construction Co. II LLC has been awarded a $339 million contract to rebuild the Washington Bridge with the project expected to be completed by November 2028, Gov. Daniel J. McKee announced Friday.
McKee said the final costs, including the $97 million contract awarded to Aetna Bridge Co. to demolish the westbound side of the bridge, could bring the final price tag well past the $500 million mark.
The contract with Walsh Construction has additional costs from incentives which could bring the total contract up to $427 million. It also has built-in penalties of $25,000 per day exceeding the project timeline.
"This has been a challenging time for those who rely on the Washington Bridge,” said McKee said alongside state transportation officials and Walsh representatives at the Statehouse. "We owe it to you to deliver a bridge that is safe and will ultimately make your lives easier.”
The state had submitted the final Request for Proposals to the two finalists competing for the bridge rebuild, Walsh Construction Co. and a joint application submitted by American Bridge and MLJ Contracting Corp., encouraging the use of accelerated bridge construction methods to replace the bridge and open travel lanes to the public as quickly as possible.
The document also required carrying five through lanes over the bridge and constructing a new on-ramp to Interstate 195 West from Gano Street and an off-ramp from I-195 West to Waterfront Drive.
The state's budget for the project includes 10% in contingency costs, which may not need to be used, said R.I. Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr.
Walsh Project Manager Chuck Parish said work has already begun.
“We want this done as quickly as possible," he said. “We will be able to procure materials quickly and get to work right away."
The firm will be using as a model another bridge it constructed in Missouri, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge that spans the Mississippi River in St. Louis and is four times the length of the Washington Bridge, he said.
The abrupt closure of the Washington Bridge’s westbound side in December 2023, which connects I-195 from Rhode Island’s East Bay to Providence, has disrupted traffic and businesses ever since.
Alviti said among the two bids, Walsh's was "the best value for the state of Rhode Island" and he has an “extremely high level of confidence" the firm will meet the proposed timeline.
State officials said the current demolition project is on schedule for completion by the end of the year, with the removal of underwater segments of the old bridge’s foundation beginning after July 1.
Christopher Allen is a staff writer for PBN. He can be reached at Allen@PBN.com.
