Rhode Island DOT: Repairs Begin to Closed Bridge in Cranston

Work to repair a closed bridge near the state House Speaker's law office in Cranston has started.

The state Department of Transportation says the goal is to reopen the Park Avenue bridge in a month.

The bridge over a set of railroad tracks was closed last week because officials said it was a safety risk.

Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, a Cranston Democrat, has questioned why the department didn't fix the bridge sooner, rather than close it.

The state awarded a $411,000 contract to John Rocchio Corp. on Friday to replace the bridge's timber deck. The Greenville, Rhode Island, company was the lowest of five bidders.

The department says the bridge will still be structurally deficient and weight-restricted when it reopens, but a permanent replacement is being designed.