Contractor walks off $116 million Route 24/140 construction job in Taunton. What we know
TAUNTON — Two-and-a-half years of construction work at the interchange of routes 140 and 24 in Taunton recently came to a grinding halt — with no indication of when it will restart, according MassDOT records.
Construction contractor Cardi Corporation, based in Rhode Island, suspended operations on the project on Oct. 27, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Project Tracking System.
The tracking system says, “MassDOT is negotiating a takeover agreement with Cardi's surety, whereby the surety would retain a completion contractor to complete the project.”
A construction surety bond is a contractual agreement among three parties: the owner of the site, in this case the state; the construction company, in this case, Cardi; and the surety bond company, which guarantees the work will be completed.
MassDOT Director of Communications Jacquelyn Goddard told the Gazette via email on Wednesday, Nov. 15, that she forwarded the Gazette's questions about the project to a colleague who has not yet responded to the Gazette's follow-up request for comment and information.
WJAR NBC 10 news reported in August that Cardi Company has been dealing with financial troubles, resulting in delays or worse to projects it's contracted to complete.
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How much money is Cardi being paid?
According to a copy of the contract between MassDOT and Cardi, Cardi's winning bid on the project back in 2020 was $116.5 million — beating out the next lowest bidder by $9 million.
The total project cost is listed in the contract as $139.2 million — which includes, in addition to the $116.5 million, a contingency fund, construction engineering and traffic police details.
The project is being funded 80% through federal and 20% through state money.
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How much work is left to be done?
Construction got underway in May of 2021 and was scheduled to take six years. As of Oct. 27, 2023, the project is listed as 19% complete.
What kind of improvements are planned for the interchange?
The scope of work under the contract is redoing the Route 24 bridge overpass and ramps over Route 140, as well as two bridges on Route 24 above sets of railroad tracks, which will be used as train lines for South Coast Rail.
In addition, the project called for widening of routes 24 and 140 in that area with new lanes to accommodate future South Coast Rail-based traffic, as well as new traffic signals on 140, new lighting on 24, and extending the culvert on the Cotley River carrying water under Route140.
Not factoring in current delays, the Mass DOT project was slated to be completed by early 2027.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Cardi construction company halts work on routes 24 and 140 in Taunton
