Bay Crane, RIDOT Negotiating Fee For Planning Route, Moving Bridge-Straining 280-Ton Load

WARWICK, RI — RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr. said Friday the state intended to invoice Bay Crane for the expense of a 10-day assessment of the roads and bridges along the Rte. 102 corridor planned for a 280-ton load including a 181-ton generator and its hauler bound for General Electric in Medway, MA, but the transport company took issue with the bill.

“That’s correct,” said John Tassoni, spokesman for Bay Crane of Smithfield, RI.

Tassoni said RIDOT met with Bay Crane representatives at about 1 p.m., shortly after the agency held a press briefing announcing the route and their intent to charge the company for devising it. The meeting lasted about three hours, and ended with the postponement of the generator’s trip, which had been expected to start at 8 p.m.

“Earlier today, it was determined that the terms that the RIDOT sought to impose in conjunction with the issuance of the permit were unreasonable. Similar terms have never been mandated by the RIDOT when oversize load permits have been issued in the past,” Tassoni said Friday in a statement.

Alviti declined to disclose the amount the RIDOT would charge the company, saying the full amount has not been assessed. Tassoni would not comment on the amount, since the negotiations over it were still in progress as of 5 p.m. Saturday. Tassoni said he thinks the parties could come to an agreement sometime Monday.

Tassoni said the company has not decided if they’ll follow the same route for the remaining 17 pieces of equipment General Electric has hired them to transport. On Friday, RIDOT spokesman Charles St. Martin said a similar assessment would likely be needed for each piece of equipment, since the weight, height and width of each piece of cargo will change each time.