RI Transportation Department awards $410M interchange project, the largest contract in agency history

Dive Brief:

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) awarded a $410 million design-build contract to rebuild the 6-10 Interchange in Providence, the largest single contract in RIDOT history, Engineering News-Record reported.
The technical proposal from the design-build joint venture, 6/10 Constructors, which is comprised of Barletta Heavy Construction, O&G Industries, DW White Construction and Aetna Bridge Co., scored higher than any other bid and had the lowest construction cost figure — $248 million. As part of the contract, 6/10 will replace seven structurally deficient bridges on the interchange, where the agency made $5 million in temporary repairs last year.
RIDOT officials said 6/10 will be able to execute the design and construction processes concurrently, reducing the likelihood of design flaws, change orders and budget overruns. Design work and environmental reviews are underway, and the agency expects construction to begin in about a year, with completion scheduled for 2023.

Dive Insight:

The RIDOT unveiled the preliminary design for the new interchange a little more than a year ago, emphasizing a number of benefits: increased safety, better traffic flow, a cyclist-friendly lanes and increased connectivity and mobility in the area, as well as the potential for more development opportunities.

The project is part of a 10-year, $4 billion plan called RhodeWorks, which aims to repair 175 structurally deficient bridges and preserve 500 others. The initiative, which the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration approved in October, is expected to see 90% of the state's structurally deficient bridges brought up to standard seven years ahead of the RIDOT's initial schedule and $900 million less than the original estimate.

The 6-10 Interchange project is an example of how state DOT is taking the opportunity to include modern features as part of new infrastructure projects rather than building exact replicas. For example, the Florida Department of Transportation is planning a $750 million span over Old Tampa Bay between St. Petersburg and Tampa to replace the nearly 60-year-old Howard Frankland Bridge.

The ight-lane span will replace the old bridge and will be incorporated into a newer existing span. Together, they will manage tolled, non-tolled, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. A future span is set to provide space for a light-rail system and driverless cars.