Demolition
Washington Bridge project completed ahead of schedule
The demolition of the Washington Bridge in Providence, Rhode Island, has been completed ahead of schedule, according to state officials.
According to the governor’s office, the demolition project took place in two phases. The deck and superstructure were removed between July 2024 and February 2025, finishing on schedule. Substructure demolition began in March 2025, with work on the underwater portions starting in July 2025 in accordance with environmental permits. The final phase wrapped up by Dec. 5 of last year, ahead of schedule.
The bridge has been closed for two years after critical infrastructure failures were discovered. Aetna Bridge Co., based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, spearheaded the demolition project.
“We continue to make progress on the Washington Bridge project, and reaching this major demolition milestone is an important step forward,” Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee says. “I know travelers are still feeling the frustration of traffic, and I want to assure them that we are fully committed to rebuilding this bridge as quickly as possible, with one of the nation’s top bridge builders leading the work.
“We thank Rhode Islanders for their patience as we construct a new, safe bridge that will improve traffic flow and shorten commute times.”
Numerous precautions were taken throughout the demolition process, which the governor’s office says, included strategically stationing barges to catch the debris and employing turbidity curtains to contain smaller debris. Sensors were deployed to monitor noise, dust and vibration levels to ensure they remained within accepted limits.
McKee says work on the new bridge continues to progress, led by Walsh Construction Co. of Portland, Oregon, one of the nation’s leading bridge builders.
The firm has been mobilizing equipment and crews, securing permits and coordinating utility work. Walsh also has conducted detailed surveying and 3D scanning to guide and refine the new bridge’s final design.
Mergers & Acquisitions
SA Recycling completes FPT facilities purchase
In a move first mentioned at a Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. earnings call in October of last year, Orange, California-based SA Recycling has completed its acquisition of two recycling facilities formerly owned by the Ferrous Processing & Trading (FPT) business unit of Cliffs.
The transaction was reported during the week of Dec. 8, 2025, by Fastmarkets, and an SA Recycling staff member confirmed the move to Construction & Demolition Recycling.
Comparing a list of former FPT Florida addresses with those now posted to the SA Recycling website, the yards that have changed hands are on NW N. River Drive in Miami (which hosts an auto shredder) and Northwest 21st Terrace in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The website of SA Recycling indicates the firm now operates from more than 150 locations, a figure confirmed by the SA staff member.
SA Recycling is not new to Florida, with existing facilities located in the cities of Davie, Miami, Opa-locka and Pompano Beach.
Remarks by executives from Cliffs at its October earnings call indicated the remaining FPT facilities also could be sold to one or more prospective buyers.
“We are very excited with the opportunity to continue to sell the remaining portions of FPT as we go,” CEO Lourenco Goncalves said at the time.
FPT originates from Detroit, and Michigan and Ohio remain host to much of the remaining metals recycling network. Of the 26 locations listed on the FPT website, there is one each in Mexico; Ontario; and Illinois; two each in Mississippi and Tennessee; seven in Ohio; and 12 in Michigan.
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