After coming up empty-handed, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation chalks up the lack of bids to the ambitious August 2026 timeline for the project to rebuild the bridge.
The initial request for proposals was publicized in April and focused on incentivizing bidders with cash for completing a bridge rebuild by August of 2026. It also offered $50,000 dollar stipends to the second and third runners up in an attempt to solicit more bids. The deadline for proposals was July 3.
“The State purposely chose an aggressive project timeline,” said RIDOT spokesperson Charles St. Martin III over email.
St. Martin said the agency will now re-evaluate its next round of requests to maximize contractor interest. St. Martin stopped short of saying it has extended its timeline for the bridge to be rebuilt, and said the focus of the state will continue to be on the “expediency” of the rebuild.
The state has, however, received bids to tear down the bridge, and has tentatively awarded one to Aetna Bridge at a value of $45.7 million. St. Martin said the state expects to finalize the award on July 17, and the work is set to be completed by late January of 2025.
