Preparations are underway for the upcoming bike path bridge replacement work. 

Vanessa Gonzalez, a spokesperson with the RI Department of Transportation, confirmed that the work taking place at the East Bay Bike Path bridge approaches last week was in preparation for the upcoming construction. The state will replace the bike path bridges spanning the Barrington River and Warren River. 

A DOT official recently reported that demolition of the existing trestle bridges over the Barrington and the Palmer/Warren Rivers is anticipated to start by late summer of this year, followed by construction in 2024.

The existing bridges, which date back to the 1880s, have been closed since 2019 after the DOT determined that they were deteriorated and it was not safe to keep them open. 

The design-build team of Aetna Bridge and VHB has been securing the necessary environmental permits before starting demolition of the old structures. The commencement of work in the field is contingent on the permit process.

The design-build team will use prefabricated modular truss Acrow bridges that are quicker to install and have less impact on the environment. The lightweight design requires smaller foundational elements and piers. 

The DOT will be working with the design-build team to minimize shoreline impacts during construction and the use of retaining walls and piers in the final design.

Each new bridge will be approximately 300 feet long and 14 feet wide. 

The project carries a $24 million price tag.