PORTSMOUTH/TIVERTON — The R.I. Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced today that it received six bids for the demolition of the old Sakonnet River Bridge across the Sakonnet River between Portsmouth and Tiverton.

The lowest apparent bid of $9.4 million was submitted by S & R Corporation. RIDOT expects to award a contract for the project in late winter, with work commencing in spring 2017.

"The Sakonnet River Bridge is located in one of the most beautiful parts of this state," RIDOT Director Peter Alviti Jr. said. "We're eager to complete the contract award process so we can get the contractor started on this long overdue effort to remove the old bridge."

This contract is the first of two to remove the entire bridge and will focus on the bridge's deck and superstructure elements, according to RIDOT. Once work begins, the removal of the superstructure is expected to take approximately one year, and RIDOT said it will make every effort to limit the impact of the work on the summer boating season. 

The project will be completed in spring 2018, RIDOT said.

This phase of the demolition will include the removal of 17 spans between the bridge's piers, a total of 2,178 feet. This includes approximately 6.2 million pounds of steel and 2,700 cubic yards of concrete. The contractor will provide RIDOT with a detailed work plan and schedule for the demolition.

The apparent low bid is $11.1 million below the engineer's estimate for this contract, according to RIDOR. The department tracks bid awards and cost estimates on its capital program and then updates its 10-year plan annually based on overall increases and decreases.