PROVIDENCE — The deadline has arrived, and no companies submitted bids to reconstruct the Washington Bridge on I-195 West.
The major highway bridge has been shut down since December after a “critical failure,” prompting state leaders to announce plans to demolish and rebuild the bridge. The closure has caused significant disruptions, as the bridge is a major connector from the East Bay of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts to the city of Providence.
The massive rebuild project was most recently pegged at $368 million, not including the demolition, which is estimated to cost more than $40 million.
State officials last week tentatively awarded a contract to the company Aetna to demolish the bridge starting this summer.
But no companies submitted bids by Wednesday’s noon deadline to design and build the new highway bridge. The lack of bidders was first reported by WPRI.
“The state purposely chose an aggressive project timeline with corresponding incentives and disincentives with the goal of completing the bridge rebuild as quickly as possible,” said Charles St. Martin, a spokesperson for the R.I. Department of Transportation. “While expediency is still the goal, given that the initial RFP did not produce a response, we will now be reviewing and potentially adjusting factors affecting contractor participation to the RFP before rebidding the project.”
It’s unclear what the lack of interest means for the accelerated timeline Governor Dan McKee’s administration hoped for. The state was aiming to get the new bridge open between March and September of 2026, and was offering up to $10 million in incentives for completion before August 2026, just a month before the primary election for governor.
The request for proposals also had penalties for finishing the project late.
The lack of bidders comes as the state is also preparing to potentially sue construction companies that have previously worked on the bridge, aiming to recoup money because of the bridge’s failure.
Attorney Max Wistow, one of the lawyers hired to file the lawsuit, said they are still working to determine who the defendants will be.
The lawyers sent letters back in April warning a dozen firms they could be potentially sued, and inviting them to inspect the bridge before it’s knocked down.
See more coverage of the Washington Bridge closure.
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Steph Machado can be reached at steph.machado@globe.com. Follow her @StephMachado.