An $81-million steel arch bridge project, now in its third year and third phase, has featured both high-fives and hand-wringing in Rhode Island. Completion of a new 352-ft-long open spandrel Pawtucket River Bridge, with three structures, is now slated for August rather than June. Innovative methods helped make up for time lost to access constraints and other hurdles for a joint venture of S&R Corp. and Pihl Inc.
The new bridge structures will replace the three original 690-ft-long, 54-year-old steel-plate girder structures that span the Seekonk River and two local streets, taking Interstate 95 traffic off the old structures in stages.