Acrow Bridges Restore Key Links on Rhode Island’s East Bay Bike Path

Prefabricated modular steel bridges provide a permanent, durable solution for popular recreational trail

Parsippany, New Jersey – Acrow, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, is pleased to announce the successful completion and opening of two of its modular steel bridges along Rhode Island’s East Bay Bike Path, enhancing safety, connectivity, and long-term resilience for one of the region’s most heavily used recreational corridors.

The East Bay Bike Path is a 14.5-mile paved recreational trail extending from Providence to Bristol serving cyclists, pedestrians, commuters and visitors who rely on the route for both daily transportation and recreation. Two critical bridges along the path, located in the towns of Barrington and Warren, were originally constructed in the 1880s as railroad bridges and later converted for bike use in the 1980s. Due to deterioration, both structures were closed by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) in 2019. While the agency had anticipated replacing the aging structures, their unexpected closure created new urgency to identify a solution that could balance speed of delivery, cost efficiency and long-term performance. To maintain uninterrupted access during reconstruction, temporary off-road detours, including bike path segments and boardwalks along adjacent vehicular bridges, were constructed.

RIDOT selected Acrow’s prefabricated modular steel bridges to efficiently address the project’s structural, environmental, and budgetary challenges. The permanent structures offered rapid installation, a long service life, and minimal environmental impact. Their high-strength, lightweight design required significantly smaller foundations compared to the original 19th-century structures, reducing construction complexity. Each new bridge is supported by a single central pier, substantially decreasing in-water work and disruption to riverbeds and surrounding aquatic habitats. Modular construction provided a significant technical advantage over more traditional methods, allowing the bridges to be assembled and installed with a cantilever launch from shore without the need for cranes or barges in the river. The bridges’ low-profile configuration and launch method also minimized the need for costly overhead utility relocations, further reducing overall project timelines.

The project included the installation of two single-story, cambered modular steel bridges over the Palmer River in Warren and the Barrington River in Barrington measuring 280 feet (85.34m) and 300 feet (91.44m) in length, respectively. Each structure’s walkway width is 14 feet (4.5m) and features a durable silica sand deck designed to support pedestrian and bicycle traffic while ensuring long-term performance and low maintenance. Additionally, the bridges were designed to support electrical duct banks hung on the underside of the structure, allowing for current and future utility installation. Acrow delivered the structures to project partner Aetna Bridge Company for assembly and installation.

“We’re pleased to have been an integral part of this important project to help restore the full 14.5-mile length of the East Bay Bike Path and provide safe, reliable access for all users in Rhode Island,” said Nick Rotondo, Acrow’s Business Development Manager for the New England Region. “These new active travel bridges provide safe, reliable infrastructure that prioritizes long-term performance and enhanced access for the thousands of cyclists and pedestrians depending on the East Bay Bike Path every day.”

“Acrow’s modular bridge systems are uniquely suited for many recreational trail applications, regardless of how challenging or remote the location may be,” said Russ Parisi, Vice President North America. “With rapid installation, minimal environmental impact, and a service life of 100 years or more, our bridges offer a durable, low-maintenance solution for communities investing in sustainable transportation infrastructure.”

About Acrow

Acrow has been serving the transportation and construction industries for more than 75 years with a wide range of modular steel bridging solutions for permanent, temporary, military and emergency use. Acrow’s extensive international presence includes leadership in the development and implementation of bridge infrastructure projects in over 150 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.acrow.com.