Residents across town and especially those residing in the Hampden Meadows section of Barrington were already nervous about the upcoming replacement of the White Church Bridge. Now, just days after a confidential report surfaced about mismanagement of the Barrington River Bridge project, we’re feeling downright queasy.
According to the 2006 report, which was drafted by state attorneys, the DOT was “deficient in management over costs, construction and design of the Project.” The lawyers advised the state to pay out $5.3 million to Shire and reconcile a new project completion date.
During the delays on the Barrington River Bridge project, taxpayers had come to believe that the contractor was the culprit, but the 2006 report shows that the state deserved most of the blame. Despite being told time and again that the designs for the eastern approach to the bridge were flawed, DOT officials refused to make any changes and didn’t hire a consulting engineer for more than two years.
“The RIDOT consistently took the position that the bridge could be built as designed... Due to nearly 30 month delay in resolving the design issue, Shire could not construct the new bridge as planned in its original schedule,” stated the report.
Now Barrington residents face the prospect of a second bridge replacement project managed by the state Department of Transportation.
To say we are concerned is an understatement.
We hope — and some of us living in Hampden Meadows may pray — that the town council, town manager and local legislators keep a very close eye on the upcoming White Church Bridge work.
We cannot afford a repeat of the state’s past performance.
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