Several companies have officially submitted requests to rebuild the Washington Bridge after the Rhode Island Department of Transportation's first attempt failed to secure any bids.
Those that responded to RIDOT's request for qualifications ahead of Tuesday's noon deadline include American Bridge - MLJ Joint Venture; Skanska - Aetna Joint Venture; Halmar International LLC; and Walsh Construction Company II, LLC, according to NBC10 Boston affiliate WJAR.
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American Bridge - MLJ Joint Venture: This is a partnership between Pennsylvania-based American Bridge, whose work includes New York's original Tappan Zee Bridge and its replacement the Mario Cuomo Bridge, and MLJ, a New York based contracting company that has worked on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Skanska - Aetna Joint Venture: This partnership includes two companies with Rhode Island experience. Skanska is currently working to replace 15 bridges along Interstate 95 and Route 10. Aetna is among the companies the state is suing for the Washington Bridge failure and is also demolishing the bridge. Aetna, which says it stands by all of their work, has filed a motion to get the lawsuit dismissed.
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Halmar International LLC: This New York-based company has worked on the Bronx- Whitestone Bridge.
Walsh Construction Company II, LLC: This Chicago-based company's work includes the I-95 Q-Bridge (Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge) in New Haven, Connecticut.
RIDOT Director Peter Alviti told WJAR he couldn't be happier with the submissions they received.
"We've got four of the best bridge building companies in the country that came here to Rhode Island to propose and compete to build our bridge," Alviti said.
According to WJAR, after the state's first attempt came up empty, RIDOT issued a "request for information" soliciting feedback before deciding on a two-step procurement process.
Now that the "request for qualifications" has closed, applications will be reviewed, and then two finalists will be chosen to work on more detailed proposals on Dec. 11 -- the one year anniversary of the bridge closure.
Alviti said he has no regrets.
"I think the process is going exactly the way DOT had originally intended itself, and I think this speaks for itself, right for the best companies in the United States, best bridge building companies the United States. The outcome speaks for how well the process works."
A final selection is expected to be made between the two finalists in June. The runner-up will still receive $1.75 million for their work, according to WJAR, who reports that there are currently no estimates for how much the rebuild will cost or how long it will take.
