Replacement of the Route 114 Silver Creek Bridge is expected to begin soon and last nearly a year. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (DOT) has chosen a contractor, John Rocchio Corp., which will soon begin setting up for Phase 1 — relocation of utilities.

Water, gas and communication lines that go through the bridge will all be moved during a phase expected to last into next summer. During that time, motorists will face disruptions and periods of one-lane, alternating traffic.

The project is expected to pause around the 2020 Bristol Fourth of July holiday, before moving to Phase 2 next summer. During that phase, expected to last through the remainder of July and August, the bridge will be torn down and replaced, and all vehicular traffic through that area of Route 114 will cease.

DOT has embedded financial incentives in the contract to encourage John Rocchio Corp. to meet its deadlines. There is a $5,000-per-day penalty if the contractor does not meet the June 2020 completion date for the utility phase, and there are further incentives to finish and reopen the bridge prior to Aug. 31, 2020.

There has been considerable opposition to the project locally, as Bristol merchants, the East Bay Chamber of Commerce and many private citizens have objected to the plan to entirely close Route 114 next summer. Others have criticized DOT for not designing a bridge that can accommodate a future rise in sea levels. Despite the opposition, DOT is moving forward with the project, estimated to cost $3.8 million.