RIDOT releases first RhodeWorks quarterly report.
New focus on increased accountability and transparency is evident in expanded format.
| RIDOT Construction Contracts To Be Advertised: FFY 2016 4th Quarter (7/1 through 9/30) |
||
| Project | Expected Award | Value ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Providence River Pedestrian Bridge | Oct 2016 | 10.0 |
| Statewide Guardrail 2017-2019 | Oct 2016 | 2.5 |
| Carolina Bridges (57F) | Nov 2016 | 3.9 |
| South County Freeway Bridge #686 (52A) | Nov 2016 | 1.2 |
| Wood River & Holburton Bridges #261, #262 (58D) | Dec 2016 | 2.4 |
| Statewide Fence 2017-2019 | Nov 2016 | 0.9 |
| Aquidneck Avenue Improvements: Middletown & Tiverton | Nov 2016 | 0.9 |
| Pedestrian and Intersection Safety Improvements – STC | Nov 2016 | 1.0 |
| Central Street Bridge #449 (70B) | Dec 2016 | 6.3 |
| Newman Avenue Bridge #224 (57D) | Jan 2017 | 3.0 |
| Old Sakonnet River Bridge Demolition | Dec 2016 | 15.8 |
| Providence Area Bridges #1080, #1082 (56B) | Jan 2017 | 1.3 |
| Slatersville Stone Arch Bridge #273 (70C) | Jan 2017 | 5.0 |
| Washington Bridge North #700 (57A T-J) | Jan 2017 | 10.0 |
| Statewide Impact Attenuator 2017-2019 | Jan 2017 | 2.0 |
| Old Stone Bridge Tiverton | Dec 2016 | 1.6 |
| Route 102 & Route 117 Improvements – Roundabout | Jan 2017 | 2.1 |
| TOTAL (in millions) | $69.9 | |
On May 2, RIDOT released its first quarterly report required under the RhodeWorks legislation passed by the RI General Assembly in February. The new report format includes a wealth of details not offered in previous reports, in line with the desire of Director Peter Alviti, Jr. and Deputy Director Peter Garino to earn public trust in RIDOT through greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness and transparency.
“Prior to us coming here last year, RIDOT was operating without accurate project budgets, and didn’t have a method to track budgets or schedules from beginning to end,” Alviti recalls. “Now a specific project manager is assigned to oversee each project from start to finish. This establishes a single point of accountability over the lifetime of a project.”
Visible signs of progress. Both on paper and onsite.
Going beyond the statutory requirements set by the RhodeWorks legislation, the Q2 FY 2016 report released on May 2 covers a two-year span. It includes updates on current bridge conditions, progress reports for all active projects, construction contract awards, and projects coming up for bid for the balance of 2016 and in 2017. Special sections of the report feature major projects being undertaken, along with RIDOT’s plan to resolve legacy issues that were inherited by its new management team and reorganized department.
In addition to the expanded report format, RIDOT has also begun to post “accountability signs” at individual jobsites. These signs use a traffic-light type graphic to quickly indicate whether a project is on time and on budget, while also indicating its projected completion date and final cost.
“We’ve been entrusted with a tremendous responsibility to make sure the RhodeWorks program is implemented effectively and efficiently,” Alviti concludes. “This quarterly report is an important first step toward showing Rhode Island taxpayers we’re both capable and committed to delivering on our promise to rebuild our state’s infrastructure.”
