Deficient Cranston Bridge Gets $1 Million from Feds for Repairs

A small bridge in Cranston that became the center of controversy when it was abruptly closed for safety reasons earlier this year is the focus of $1 million in new federal funds to speed up its total replacement.

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed announced Monday that the Park Avenue Bridge, which carries busy Route 12 over Amtrak train tracks in the Auburn neighborhood, will undergo accelerated repairs thanks to the infusion of money.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The state Department of Transportation applied for the funds earlier this summer and it will pay for design and engineering work leading up to a complete replacement.

The bridge, located right next to Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello’s law office, was shut down by the state after an inspection found the 109-year-old structure was in deplorable condition.

The closing of the bridge coincided with a push from the Governor’s office and the state DOT for lawmakers to consider a major “RhodeWorks” infrastructure plan. The plan had been introduced not long before the bridge was closed, which rankled Mattiello and others who were convinced the closure was to prove a point and not because there was risk of imminent collapse.

During the nearly-month-long closure, crews shored up the wooden deck and put a fresh layer of asphalt on top. It was a temporary fix, however, and the DOT has said that the bridge needs to be replaced with a new one and still remains structurally deficient.

Part of the problem is the fact that the bridge carries high-voltage power lines used by Amtrak in addition to other pipes and lines buried along Park Avenue. The wooden deck has caught fire numerous times over the years.

Repair projects undergo an additional layer of review because of the proximity to Amtrak tracks. Construction crews must orchestrate with Amtrak officials to ensure workers and trains share access without impeding travel or risking lives.

According to a news release from Reed’s office, the money will help the DOT pay for a general contractor to lay the groundwork for total replacement through an expedited design and review process.

Known as the Construction Manager/General Contractor Early Contractor Involvement project delivery method, the method enables the DOT to select a company to design and build the project based “largely on their expertise proven by other past projects,” the release stated. “Once the company is selected, the project is then broken up into phases, and RIDOT may negotiate the price of each phase. This can accelerate repair work because the construction company can begin work without having to wait for the design of the entire project to be completed.”

A small bridge carrying busy Park Avenue over Amtrak train tracks in Cranston that became the center of controversy when it abruptly was shut down earlier this year.

Reed, who is the top ranking Democrat of the Senate’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, said the money will offset some of the costs for replacing the bridge, which links the city west to east to Interstates 95 and 295 and Routes 2, 37 and 1.

“Ensuring the safety of our roads and bridges must be a top priority. These federal funds will help offset the cost and accelerate repair work on the Park Avenue bridge through an expedited project delivery process that could be a model for other bridge replacement projects across the state,” Reed said.