Gov. McKee Names 2 Finalists To Design, Build New Washington Bridge

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — Gov. Dan McKee on Tuesday named two finalists to compete for the contract to build a replacement for the Washington Bridge.

The two finalists — Walsh Construction Company II, LLC, and a joint venture between of American Bridge Company and MLJ Contracting Corporation, will proceed to the request for proposal (RFP) phase, where one of the proposals will be selected.

McKee said the two design-build teams have hundreds of years of combined experience in completing large bridge projects both nationally and internationally.

"American Bridge Company is a Pennsylvania company ranked as the fifth larger bridge builder in the United States by Engineering News-Record," McKee said in a news conference. "They were part of the team that built the San Francisco-Oakland Bay suspension bridge — the longest self-anchored suspension span in the world. Their partner, MLJ Contracting Corporation of New York and is a partner for both the Brooklyn Bridge restoration and the Port Authority Command Center."

"Walsh Construction Company II is a Chicago company ranked as the largest bridge builder in the world by Engineering News-Record," McKee added. "It worked on the I-95-Q bridge in New Haven, [Connecticut] the Whittier Bridge in Massachusetts and the I-90 Westbound Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland. They are impressive companies, and we are very excited to be working with
them both in the coming months."

McKee's announcement regarding construction finalists came on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the westbound Washington Bridge’s closure. Initially, state officials thought the bridge just needed repairs, but a few months later, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation learned the Washington Bridge was at risk of collapsing and needed to be replaced.

"It has been a difficult year for everyone impacted by the closure; I know that, and I am sorry we have had to go through this," McKee said. "Like you, I certainly wish I had known sooner than Dec. 11, [2023] that the bridge had serious issues. And like you, I wish I had known right away that no amount of repair work would be enough to salvage the existing bridge."

"It’s been a fluid situation, and we have made several adjustments along the way, but our goal has remained clear: build a new bridge, build it safely and build it right," McKee added.

The next step in the procurement process will be the issuance of the initial RFP, expected on Dec. 18. State officials said the two design-build teams will review and provide comments on the initial RFP, with a final version to be issued on Jan. 24, 2025. The companies will then develop their proposals in response to the final RFP.

Final technical proposals are due in mid-May, followed by cost proposals, which are due in late May. State officials are expected to make a tentative decision on Jun 6, 2025, with a final notice to proceed to be released on July 15, 2025.

McKee said the old bridge is expected to be demolished and removed by Feb. 21, 2025.

Read more on the Washington Bridge situation

• Washington Bridge Demolition Halts For RI To Preserve Lawsuit Evidence
• RI Sues 13 Companies Over Washington Bridge Failures
• Washington Bridge Needs Full Replacement Or Major Repairs: Report
• Washington Bridge Getting Additional Travel Lanes: McKee, RIDOT
• 'Critical Failure' Closes Washington Bridge, Possibly For Months
• I-195 West Bypass Lanes Open Early On Washington Bridge
• Bypass Lanes, Ferries, Small Business Relief: Washington Bridge Update
• RI Small Business Loans Approved In Wake Of Bridge Shutdown: Report
• Bristol-Providence Ferry Service Ends.

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