hard deadlines

The sound of pile drivers at the Sakonnet River Bridge construction site — painfully familiar to anyone in the Hummocks and audible even from Island Park — is now a thing of the past, says the RI Dept. of Transportation (RIDOT).

In a press release, RIDOT announced that the last round of pile driving finished on Tuesday and positive test results Thursday meant the end of this phase of the project, which involved sinking nearly 500 piles, some to depths of greater than 200 feet below the riverbed.

“We appreciate the patience of the residents and business owners near the bridge and apologize for the noise and disruption the pile driving operations caused,” RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said in a statement. “We are excited to reach this milestone thanks to the efforts of our contractor, Cardi Corporation, as we continue replacing this valuable transportation link to Aquidneck Island.”

The Department anticipates the new bridge to be open to traffic in Spring 2012, however, the contract with Cardi Corporation includes an early incentive clause which could result in the bridge opening to traffic earlier.

Editorial note: Yep, this one's from a press release.