Mass. firm chosen to construct pedestrian bridge on former I-195 lands

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Administration awarded a $16.97 million contract Thursday for construction of a long-sought pedestrian bridge over the Providence River, to connect separated parcels of the former Interstate 195 lands.
The contract went to Daniel O’Connell’s Sons Inc., of Holyoke, Mass. The company submitted the lowest of seven bids for the project, according to a spreadsheet provided by the state department.
In awarding the contract to the Massachusetts company, the state bypassed higher bids submitted by Rhode Island contractors such as Cardi Corp. and D’Ambra Construction Co. Inc. Both of those companies submitted bids in the range of $18.9 million, according to the documents.
The pedestrian bridge is viewed as a critical component in the marketing and development of the former highway lands, according to the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission.
Wexford Science & Technology LLC and CV Properties LLC, two companies that are pursuing a large, bioscience and mixed-use research center on two parcels downtown, included a provision in their purchase and sale agreement that requires the state to move forward on the pedestrian bridge.
In a statement, R.I. Commerce Corp. spokesman Matt Sheaff said the I-195 commission, Commerce RI and the state Department of Transportation were happy to see a contract had been awarded.
“Building the bridge will generate construction jobs and transform land that has been vacant into a signature destination,” he said.

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