The Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s Airport Connector Landscaping project in Warwick, RI, focused on corridor-wide aesthetic and gateway enhancements along the approach to T.F. Green International Airport. Manafort Brothers Incorporated served as the prime contractor, managing all construction activities throughout the improvement limits spanning the Airport Gateway area, I-95 North and South, the Airport Connector, and the main Arrival Area.
Manafort’s work included site preparation and installation of two concrete foundations to support newly fabricated, internally and externally illuminated Gateway Signs—each exceeding 100 feet in length and 20 feet in height—identifying the Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport along the I-95 corridor. Manafort coordinated closely with specialty subcontractor ArtFX to ensure all sign components met the project’s rigorous quality, durability, and scale requirements for what became the largest signage structures ever constructed in the state. ArtFX dedicated over 6,500 hours to design and fabrication, producing aluminum and acrylic assemblies with high-performance LED lighting for back-lit lettering.
Additional project elements included the rehabilitation of Bridge No. 771, carrying Airport Connector Road over Jefferson Boulevard. Work consisted of removing and replacing PCB-impacted parapets, selective concrete deck repairs, and installation of new sculptural blue wave fencing to align with the project’s visual theme. Corridor enhancements also featured over 2,100 linear feet of colored, wave-pattern median delineators; painting of existing median barrier; and installation of approximately 2,200 linear feet of custom-fabricated, painted steel sculptural fencing along the Connector Road shoulders.
Landscaping improvements incorporated nearly 7,000 native plants and flowers, along with placement of more than 42,000 square yards of plantable soil and seeding to support long-term growth and sustainability.
Manafort’s commitment to safety, quality, and project execution ensured the successful delivery of this high-visibility gateway improvement—on schedule and within budget.
MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY PATRIOT II DOCK UPGRADES
The Massachusetts State College Maritime Academy Patriot II Dock Upgrades Project consists of significant pier enhancements to support the new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) II training ship at the Buzzards Bay campus. Manafort Transit was selected to complete the pier extension and perform all required upgrades to accommodate the new vessel while in port.
Manafort’s scope of work includes extending the existing pier, completing extensive utility improvements to service the training ship, installing new bow bollards with foundations supported by sheet-pile anchor walls, and constructing stern bollards on pile-supported foundations. Additional work includes installation of a new edge beam, construction of two expanded deck areas, and placement of new fenders supported by the upgraded edge beam system.
Serving as the Prime Contractor, Manafort is self-performing key elements of the project, including pile driving, utility installation, demolition, excavation and backfill, and grouting. Manafort’s depth of Port & Marine construction experience continues to drive the project toward safe, on-schedule, and on-budget completion.
RIDOT I-95 PROVIDENCE VIADUCT NORTHBOUND
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation I-95 Providence Viaduct Northbound Design-Build Project in Providence involved the full replacement of the seven-span Bridge No. 578 on I-95, as well as the replacement, widening, and rehabilitation of 10 additional bridges along the corridor. As part of a Joint Venture, Manafort Brothers, Inc. was selected as the Design-Build Prime Contractor to deliver this complex project within one of the state’s most heavily traveled interstate sections.
The design-build team developed an innovative traffic configuration through the I-95 interchange to reduce congestion and weaving for the 200,000 vehicles per day that travel through this interchange in downtown Providence. The project includes construction of a 1,290-foot viaduct bridge featuring two I-95 express lanes, three collector-distributor lanes, and on-ramp connections from Route 6/10 and downtown Providence. Additional work includes replacement of Bridge No. 703 (RI-146 over I-95), Bridge No. 701 (Smith Street over I-95), and Bridge No. 1379 (Atwells Avenue on-ramp to I-95 Northbound).
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The team utilized Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques, including Prefabricated Bridge Units (PBUs) over the Amtrak right-of-way, to efficiently widen Bridge No. 706. To address challenging geotechnical conditions, ultra-light foam glass aggregate (ULFGA) fill was incorporated into mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls to achieve net-zero loading.
As Design-Build Prime Contractor, Manafort self-performed a majority of the work, including excavation, substructure concrete rehabilitation, superstructure concrete, drainage, and roadway construction. Leveraging extensive design-build expertise. The project was successfully completed safely, on budget, and on schedule.
PORT OF DAVISVILLE – TERMINAL 5 PIER CONSTRUCTION
The Quonset Development Corporation’s Port of Davisville Terminal 5 Pier Design-Build Project marks the first new pier construction at Quonset in nearly 70 years. Manafort Brothers and Manafort Transit were contracted to construct the approximately 1,200-foot-long pier, which includes a 690-foot-long, variable-width pile-supported platform; a series of mooring and breasting dolphins connected by aluminum catwalks; and new blue economy support docks and a boat ramp.
Manafort’s scope of work includes installation of more than 200 steel pipe piles, pile trimming, installation of pipe jackets, concrete placement for pile plugs, excavation and backfill, placement of precast pile caps and planks, installation of underwater anodes, and construction of the concrete topping deck.
Serving as the Design-Build Prime Contractor, Manafort is self-performing a majority of the work, including pile driving, civil and utility activities, and installation of precast pier components. Manafort’s extensive port and marine construction experience continues to advance the project toward safe, on-budget, and on-schedule delivery.