In 1974, Jay M. Cashman, a junior at Boston University, incorporated J. M. Cashman, Inc. and operated it out of a modest office on Copeland Street in Quincy, MA, next door to the triple decker where he rented a floor. Jamie Cashman joined the firm when he graduated from college in 1977.  When the Blizzard of ‘78 hit Massachusetts, the brothers were ideally positioned to win federal contracts to repair seawalls and piers damaged by the historic storm – precisely the sort of work they specialized in. This shingle hung outside the office building and was hand painted by Linda Cashman, his wife until 1985.

The construction yard of J. M. Cashman, Inc. was moved to Bridge Street in North Weymouth.  During that time, the company, which was run out of a trailer, had over $25 million in contracts with the Commonwealth. J.M. Cashman Inc. repaired bridges and waterfront facilities, and participated in some of the largest construction projects in Massachusetts, including the Third Harbor Tunnel and Massachusetts Water Resource Authority Treatment Plant at Deer Island.

The Galen Street Bridge is a five-lane traffic bridge over the Charles River in Watertown, MA, that carries MA State Route 16 and Galen Street. It was built in 1907 by Stuart & Son of Newton, MA, from granite obtained at Deer Isle, Maine, by Patrick Maguire of Milton. In 1977, as their first marine job, J. M. Cashman Inc. rehabilitated the bridge by underpinning the foundations as they were scoured  

J.M. Cashman Inc.’s first large-scale job was the repair of the Scituate seawall. The Blizzard of ’78 wreaked havoc across the Massachusetts shoreline and the 76-year-old seawall that protected the Scituate community could not handle the immense waves that hurled boulders into the wall. Because of the extensive damage, Scituate was designated one of eight federal disaster communities in Massachusetts. J.M. Cashman was awarded the contract to restore three portions of the wall throughout the town. In the First Cliff section, Cashman removed the remnants of an old wall and built a new one. At Sand Hills, a new concrete face was added to the existing wall, while crack-sealing and guniting took place at Humarock. By coincidence, this was the same seawall that Jay and Jamie Cashman’s great-grandfather had built, almost 80 years prior.

Click here to learn more about the Cashman family connection to seawall repair.

In 1980, CASHMAN was awarded the contract to repair the pier in Vineyard Haven by the Martha’s Vineyard Steamship Authority. The project entailed reconstructing while maintaining the existing pier, transferring the bridge and dolphins, and constructing and maintaining a reserve slip with a transfer bridge, dolphins and dredging for the Vineyard Haven Terminal in Tisbury, MA. The reconstruction of the facility was designed to serve the residents of more than one town, providing facilities for transportation to and from Martha's Vineyard.

In March of 1980, a ship crashed into submerged rocks and then into the outer dolphins of the Oak Bluffs slip, causing further serious damage to the boat and the pier. The Steamship Authority hired CASHMAN to restore the Oak Bluff Wharf facility to usable condition.

This project was CASHMAN'S first large-scale multi-million-dollar pier job. The company earned recognition as a major marine construction company after the completion of the complex project.

Thirty seven years later in December 2017, CASHMAN was awarded the Woods Hole Terminal Reconstruction Project by the Steamship Authority. 

In 1853 James E. Simpson purchased the site on Marginal Street and began to construct a wooden dry dock, adding a second timber dry dock in 1855. Two steam pumps were arranged so that they could pump from either or both docks, and by 1874 a third dry dock had been constructed.  During its operation, the yard repaired war ships that were damaged in Civil War battles and in World War I. In 1922 the Simpson Dry Dock Company was purchased by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, the owners of the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy. Bethlehem operated the former Simpson yard during World War II and continued to own it until 1982. After a decline in the shipbuilding industry, it was acquired by Massport in 1985. In 1987, Cashman Marine Enterprises, a subsidiary of J.M. Cashman, Inc., acquired a 38-year lease for the historic 36-acre shipyard in East Boston, the only remaining shipyard in the area, where part of the shipyard was reopened for repairs and shipbuilding. Cashman Marine Enterprises successfully employed over 100 people over a ten year span During that lease, the property was also redeveloped into a recreational and industrial space.

Deer Island was once occupied by a military fortification during the earlier parts of the 20th centuries. Fort Dawes guarded the harbor from Deer Island, and was the largest of the Boston Harbor military forts, which was logical given Deer Island’s long north-to-south exposure near the Harbor’s entrance. Deer Island has also been used in the past as a prison, quarantine station, and a sewage treatment plant. 

From 1991 to 2000, CASHMAN was hired to revitalize and rebuild Deer Island. Fort Dawes and the island grounds, including a glacial drumlin, were blown up, dug out, bulldozed, and barged away in order for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) to build the world's second largest sewage treatment plant. CASHMAN demolished 100,000 cubic yards of concrete along with extensive timber pile excavation and removed over 5 million cubic yards of materials. Over 12,000 pounds of explosives were detonated in one controlled blast during demolition of the island’s military bunkers. CASHMAN also built the marine infrastructure and facilities including piers, transfer bridges, and a personal shuttle float. The company also established a secured landfill on the southern section of the island. 

Today, Deer Island is home to a Harbor landmark, the Waste Water Treatment Plant, public boat docks, and a National Recreation Park. There are hiking and biking trails that provide views of Boston Harbor.

Sterling Equipment Inc., an East Coast rental company incorporated in 1995, provides equipment rentals to the construction industry. They have specialized in marine equipment for over 20 years and continue to fill the changing needs of their customers by constantly updating and expanding their heavy civil and marine rental divisions.

Sterling provides cranes, excavators, and buckets through its Heavy Division and barges, dredges, scows and tugs through its Marine Division. The equipment is not only in top-notch condition, but it is provided at reasonable rates and from various locations up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

As a member of the CASHMAN Family of Companies, Sterling Equipment, Inc. owns and maintains a fleet of over 100 pieces of specialized equipment, allowing CASHMAN to act as a single-source provider on complex marine and heavy civil projects that would otherwise require multiple subcontractors.

While a majority of expansion construction for the Massachusetts Turnpike focused on the easternmost portion of the highway, in Millbury the Turnpike Authority was adding a new interchange with Route 146, connecting the newly constructed route with the MassPike. The new interchange accommodates traffic movement from the MassPike to Worcester and through the Blackstone Valley to Providence, Rhode Island.  Work by CASHMAN began in 1996, and included the demolition of the three existing bridges. CASHMAN constructed four miles of new roadways and ramps, including four new bridges. In addition to construction, CASHMAN also relocated existing roadway, wetlands, and utilities.

In 1991, after almost a decade of planning, construction began on Boston's Central Artery / Tunnel (CA/T) Project, in order to remove an elevated highway and create a tunnel system below the city. This tunnel replaced the 6-lane elevated highway built in the 1950s and connects several crucial areas and highways in the city. Recognized as the largest, most complex, and technologically challenging highway project in the history of the United States, the CA/T Project significantly reduced traffic congestion and improved mobility in one of America's oldest and most congested major cities. The work was performed beneath the major metropolitan City of Boston and was carefully planned so as to not disturb daily activities.

CASHMAN completed several Contracts on this Project, including the construction of the Chardon Street to Charles River link of I-93 in Boston which required building three highway tunnels (two-to-four lanes wide each) directly below the existing elevated highway. The CASHMAN team supported the existing structure with major underpinners at 19 highway bents on the (CA/T) Contract for the "Big Dig" in downtown Boston. While maintaining existing daily traffic of over 180,000 vehicles overhead, the CASHMAN team installed about 420,000 SF of slurry wall and about 2,000 LF of multi-barrel tunnel. Slurry walls, invented in the 1940s to hold back water and earth during underground construction, were generally removed or abandoned after a project was complete. Using them as permanent walls of a tunnel was a fairly radical idea. In fact, no major highway tunnels in the United States were built that way before the Big Dig. But the Big Dig took the concept to an entirely new level. It was to become the single largest use of slurry walls in the United States, with some of the walls extending more than 12 stories underground. As part of the project's Underground Utility Relocation Program that took place from 1996-1997, CASHMAN was also responsible for the relocation of three miles of utility lines (gas, sewer, and water mains) in Boston and Charlestown.

CASHMAN was part of the team responsible for the historic changes in secondary sewage treatment that helped clean up Boston Harbor. It was a major undertaking to clean up the nation’s dirtiest harbor, one that would cost multiple billions of dollars and take years of engineering investment and implementation.

The effluent outfall for the Deer Island Treatment Plant was an important part of the MWRA's wastewater management program. This outfall, which started up in September of 2000, discharges treated sewage (effluent) through 55 diffusers, into Massachusetts Bay instead of the Harbor, which has helped the Harbor's recovery. The outfall begins at Deer Island with a deep rock tunnel extending under Massachusetts Bay to a point about 9.5 miles east of the island.  The outfall site was chosen after considerable scientific and technical study and extensive public participation.

Because of a tragic accident involving divers hired to unplug the diffusers, CASHMAN engineers developed an innovative method to permit construction of the Tunnel’s final connection. CASHMAN re-mobilized its deep-water jack-up barge used on the initial MWRA Outfall Diffusers contract to provide the final connections to the Outfall Tunnel using an innovative ventilation pipe system. The project was completed 11 months ahead of schedule as well as tens of millions of dollars under budget. In 2001, CASHMAN received the prestigious NOVA Award for "Innovation in Construction" from the Construction Innovation Forum.

In 2003, CASHMAN DREDGING & MARINE CONTRACTING COMPANY, LLC, a member of the CASHMAN Family of Companies, was formed to focus more closely on the dredging industry. Over the last decade, CASHMAN DREDGING has emerged as an industry pacemaker in navigational and maintenance dredging projects. CASHMAN DREDGING provides deeper and cleaner waterways through innovative dredging, capping, and processing techniques developed for major East and Gulf Coast / Caribbean customers.

CASHMAN DREDGING has undertaken some of the largest dredging projects in U.S. history. Providing an array of integrated solutions ranging from environmental and navigational dredging to pond and industrial dredging, CASHMAN DREDGING has earned a reputation for precision and quality.

To learn more, visit: www.CashmanDredging.com

Click here to learn more about the Cashman family connection to dredging.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) along with Port Authority of NYNJ (PANYNJ) hired CASHMAN to deepen the Kill Van Kull Channel. During the dredging project in Newark Bay and South Elizabeth Channels, the team encountered an unexpected deposit consisting of diabase rock, limestone, and shale. CASHMAN was faced with the challenge of rock removal in an area congested with marine traffic. The USACE recognized the logistical problems and safety issues involved with blasting at this location, and requested that CASHMAN develop an alternative to drilling and blasting, which was ruled out due to noise, safety, and closures issues as well as the fact that drill and blast rigs would be too slow to move out of the way of ship traffic. CASHMAN turned to a tool never before used for underwater rock breaking in North America, an IHC hydrohammer- Model s90. 

Environmentally safer than traditional drill and blast methods, the s90’s main advantage is its maneuverability. CASHMAN retrofitted the dredge S. Comoletti with the hydrohammer to remove the rock from May to August of 2004. The rock was in an area with a high volume of boat traffic every day, and CASHMAN used the hydrohammer to avoid affecting nearby terminals. Drilling and blasting would have closed the area to boats for the duration of the project. The 37-ft., 14-ton hydrohammer can break rock at depths of 65 feet, and can operate at any angle from 55 to 90 degrees. Unlike conventional diesel- and air-powered hammers, the self-contained hydraulically operated s90 is quiet and can operate underwater without loss of energy and with no risk of releasing harmful pollutants into the environment. The project deepened the channels to 45 feet with 1.5 feet of overdepth, in approximately one mile of 1,000-ft-wide navigation channels.

The Fore River Shipyard, now known as the Quincy Shipyard, has had many uses since its operations began in 1883, including shipbuilding (both military and civilian), docking stations, a staging area for the Deer Island project, and a port for commuter boats. The Shipyard was held by the MWRA until the early 2000s when it purchased by CASHMAN in three phases. In 2004, the first 11 acres was acquired and is now home to Sterling Equipment’s facilities. The area that holds the CASHMAN office and the building leased to General Dynamics and the New England Aquarium, was purchased around 2008. The final piece by the rotary leading to the Fore River Bridge was purchased in 2015.

CASHMAN partnered with Testa to demolish two bridges that crossed the Cooper River in Charleston, SC. After the opening of the Ravenal Bridge in 2005, the Grace and Pearman bridges were set to be demolished. By the 1990s, both bridges had become unsafe, as the Grace was built in the 1920s and the Pearman was built in the 1960s. The Grace bridge was entirely unusable and the Pearman could barely handle the influx of traffic. In addition to removing the two bridges, CASHMAN and Testa also constructed an observation pier and reconstructed the surrounding city streets.

In 1991, after almost a decade of planning, construction began on Boston’s Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project, which removed an elevated highway and created a tunnel system below the city. Community and political leaders seized the opportunity to enhance the city by creating the Greenway, a linear series of parks and gardens that would re-connect some of Boston’s neighborhoods. Four Wharf District Park parcels, positioned in the median strip of Atlantic Avenue, were designed, and constructed as part of the Greenway. The Wharf District Parks connect Faneuil Hall and the Financial District with Boston Harbor and contain paved surfaces areas for active public use and a gathering space for public events. The Parks reflect Boston’s maritime history and include the majestic Rings Fountain, colorful light displays, and interactive sculptures. CASHMAN’s work included park and roadway construction, fountain construction, landscape, and roadside development.

Beaver Ridge Wind’s three General Electric 1.5-MW wind turbines produce ~12 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of mission-free electricity each year. That is enough to power about 2,000 homes (based on 500 kWh per home per month) and reduces the amount of CO2 emissions by the equivalent of almost 630 thousand gallons of gasoline. Beaver Ridge Wind was only the second wind farm in Maine when it started operating in November of 2008. It was the very first wind farm behind Central Maine Power, the transmission and distribution utility for southern and western Maine. Beaver Ridge Wind is owned and operated as a partnership between Patriot Renewables, LLC and MIRSAP1, LLC. It was built by Eco Industries, LLC, a CASHMAN affiliate. For its first five years of operation, Beaver Ridge Wind operated with a capacity factor of over 31%. This means that the wind plant produced, on average, is 31% of its nameplate capacity, even though the wind does not blow all the time. This number considers energy used by the turbines when the wind is not blowing (parasitic draw).

CASHMAN DREDGING was instrumental in one of the largest polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) sediment remediation projects in U.S. history. When the final season was completed for General Electric in 2015, more than 2.75 million cubic yards of sediment from a 40-mile stretch of the upper Hudson River between Fort Edward and Troy, NY had been removed, and 100 percent of the PCBs targeted by the EPA had been addressed. It took "a world-class team of engineers and dredging experts to design and perform the work," which the EPA calls "a historic achievement."

In July 2008, GE awarded CASHMAN DREDGING & MARINE CONTRACTING COMPANY, LLC a contract to perform the first year of dredging. CASHMAN crews worked 24 hours a day, six days a week, for six months, to complete the first phase of work. Ultimately, 288,000 cubic yards of sediment were removed, surpassing the EPA's 2009 target. In June 2011, CASHMAN began the multi-seasoned second phase of work dredging, transporting sediments by barge to the processing facility, and shipping dewatered sediments by rail to disposal facilities. From May through November 2012, CASHMAN removed over 663,000 cubic yards of sediment during the season, almost doubling the EPA's target of 350,000 cubic yards. CASHMAN also constructed a second unloading wharf at the processing facility during the winter 2012 season to accommodate the large volume of dredged materials. During this second phase, dredging techniques and technologies were refined, which enabled industry-leading dredging precision while also increasing dredge productivity across a wide range of varied site conditions, from extremely shallow water to work in front of dams. In 2014, dredging also continued in a two-mile section of river near Fort Miller that is inaccessible by boat. Several logistically challenging areas were dredged in 2015, including those near dams and shallow areas around islands. Backfilling of previously dredged areas with clean material and processing facility operations continued until all dredged sediment was transported offsite. Approximately 250,000 cubic yards of PCB-impacted sediment was targeted for removal in 2015.

Following the explosion and sinking of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig off the coast of Louisiana, a massive response ensued to protect Gulf Coast beaches, wetlands and estuaries from the spreading oil using skimmer ships, floating booms, controlled burns, and oil dispersant. CASHMAN'S Sterling Equipment, Inc. was among the firms called on to provide Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup following the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in 2010. The response effort attempted to protect beaches, wetlands, and estuaries from the spreading oil utilizing skimmer ships, floating booms, controlled burns, and oil dispersant. Sterling was contracted to ship a specialized oil skimmer and recovery system/ operating platform to the Theodore Staging Area.

Longboat Key, as many South Florida beach communities do, consistently loses beach to tidal cycles, currents, waves, and weather. Much of the material transported from the beach ends up just inside the inlet. This results in areas of depleted beaches, some dangerously so, and pockets of beach compatible material located inside the inlet. In the winter of 2011, CASHMAN's trailing suction hopper dredge Atchafalaya re-nourished the beach in Longboat Key. The dredge pumped three cycles of sand per day for two-hour intervals. The dredge sucked the sand up at the borrow site, about 9 miles offshore, then brought the sand close to shore and linked to a pipe, pumped the sand from the dredge to the beach itself. Over 133,000 cubic yards of material were placed on the beach in the inaugural project for this dredge. A booster barge was used to maximize efficiency. The Atchafalaya is suitable for navigation, beach re-nourishment, and sand-mining projects throughout the Eastern Seaboard and coastal waterways. CASHMAN also demolished an existing retaining wall and beach tilling.

In June 2013, The Lydon Company was acquired by CASHMAN and its operations were merged with Industrial Power Contractors (IPC) to create a new company: IPC Lydon. The merger of these two industry leaders has formed a more prominent company to better serve the market through an increase in depth, scope of expertise, and project experience. IPC Lydon, a member of the CASHMAN Family of Companies, is a leading provider of maintenance, repair and upgrade services for mechanical systems and process equipment used in airports, distribution centers, power plants, co-generation plants, and wastewater treatment facilities. As a full-service industrial and power generation construction and maintenance contractor, IPC Lydon focuses on providing best-in-class services.

To learn more, visit: www.IPCLydon.com

JAY CASHMAN, INC. provided marine support and tie-in for a 30-inch diameter gas pipeline as part of the Spectra Energy–NY/NJ Gas Pipeline Expansion Project crossing the Hudson River via horizontal directional drilling (HDD). The first natural gas pipeline into Manhattan in 40 years will lower energy costs and keep air cleaner. Working with prime contractor Michels Directional Crossing, CASHMAN was responsible for dredging and disposal of material including contaminated material, cofferdam construction, drill platform work, and pipeline tie-ins, worth $40 million of the $900 million total project value. CASHMAN also provided sheet pile cofferdam design construction and removal to facilitate tie-in, along with marine support during HDD operations.

For dredging both Norwalk Harbor and New Haven Harbor, CASHMAN used the 60-cubic-yard dredge bucket fitted on the Dale Pyatt—the largest used in New England in many years. Together, the New Haven and Norwalk projects comprise one of the largest dredging jobs in Connecticut in the past 50 years.

In 2012, JAY CASHMAN INC. and CASHMAN DREDGING had the idea to dredge for gold in Alaska. After Sterling Equipment found a cost-effective means to transport the equipment, CASHMAN and its crew took off for a remote part of the Bering Sea, Nome, Alaska. The conditions were harsh and unrelenting causing some operational problems but CASHMAN pushed through and fixed the problem areas in their wash plants. Although it was a challenge with many lessons learned, CASHMAN built the largest barge-mounted gold dredge in North America, successfully mobilized it over 11,000 miles to remote Alaska (a place no one had ever been to, much less worked in), and labored extreme hours without any major safety issues with countless stories to come home with. 

CASHMAN was selected as the primary contractor responsible for land reclamation efforts for this high-profile project—the largest undertaken in Bermuda since WWII. CASHMAN was part of the team that completed the first-phase construction of “Cross Island,” which was the home of the Event Village for the 2017 America’s Cup, hosted by Bermuda. The new land provided a viewing area for the races in nearby Great Sound, and the Event Village hosted activities associated with the sailing tournament including team bases, a pit row, food and beverage venues, entertainment, and concerts. CASHMAN oversaw the dredging and land preparation, which began in October 2015 and was completed in January 2016. The first part of the project involved relocating and re-handling ~140,000 cubic yards of sand onto a shallow plateau to begin the creation of the land. CASHMAN relocated the sand within the site to create the landfill, using the clamshell dredge Dale Pyatt, and dozers to create the site. CASHMAN managed the marine construction aspects of the project, to install the splash wall and sheet piling on the perimeter, and completed the preparation of the site. Planners started installing utilities by late summer 2016. All reclamation and marine construction work was performed in proximity and without damage to the Royal Naval Dockyard, a listed building of historic significance. The project attracted avid local attention and was reported on in detail by the local newspaper, The Royal Gazette.

Dredging began in Fall of 2015 along the length of the Tampa Bay Federal Navigation Channel encompassing the entire Tampa Bay from Mullet Key Channel Lighted Buoy 26 west of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, extending the entire length of the Tampa Bay Channel. CASHMAN removed shoaled material from the Federal Channel and dredged the Tampa Bay Channel; within the Port Tampa turning basin; and Gadsden Point Cut of Hillsborough Bay. CASHMAN's split-hull trailing suction hopper dredge Atchafalaya was responsible for removing the shoaled material from the federal channel 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, supported by various other vessels. CASHMAN received an overall rating of "Exceptional" based on excellent performance and the highest ratings assigned to two rating elements considered to be of very high importance: Quality and Management. CASHMAN was commended for its exceptional efforts and dedication to meet the USACE's requirements of completing the project on time, on budget, and providing a high-quality project result with no accidents or environmental incidents.

Preload Middle East was awarded a design and construction project at the King Khalid Air Base in Saudi Arabia for Yuksel Insaat, A.S. a Turkish general contractor who worked directly for Gilbane Federal (a subsidiary of Gilbane Building Company). Preload’s scope included the design of a single, buried, 1.3 million gallon water reservoir with three internal compartments; the supply of specialty tank materials and prestressing equipment to the project site; the supervision of all tank-related construction activities; and circumferential prestressing of the outer walls of the new concrete reservoir.

Design began in 2015, with onsite tank construction commencing in August 2015. Work was finalized in 2016. This project represented a milestone, marking a return to the international marketplace after over 40 years of focusing exclusively on domestic projects. It was also a re-introduction into the emerging TES market, which has now become a widely sought after means for cutting energy costs for big commercial and industrial facilities.

In November of 2015, CASHMAN DREDGING was awarded the contract to deepen the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The client was the Florida Inland Navigational District (FIND), with Taylor Engineering working as its Construction Manager. The objective of the project was to deepen the ICW to a navigable depth of 15 feet, with an allowable over-depth of +2-feet; totaling 185,000 yd³ and was permitted for upland disposal only, which was achieved via offloading at the Dredge Material Management Area (DMMA) located inside Port Everglades. Extensive research and a utility location investigation were conducted to identify the exact locations of the utilities. Based on investigation results, a plan to dredge over the utilities was developed. The resulting dredging operations were a complete success with no damage to any utilities nor to any of the local bridge cables.

Awarded by the Steamship Authority in December 2017, JAY CASHMAN, INC. is in the ongoing Reconstruction of the Woods Hole Ferry Terminal in Falmouth, MA, a phased construction project transpiring over the next three and a half years (six years total). From January to May of 2018, CASHMAN prepared the Site for the first of three Ferry Terminal Slip’s Construction.  Preparation work included construction of temporary fenders, and excavation work consisted of ~ 20,000 yd³ of various material.

In September 2018, two crews - one water-based and one land-based – began working side by side to complete the job in a timely, cost-effective manner. The land-based crew began sheet piledriving for the new bulkhead system, and once demolition was finalized, the water-based team initiated piledriving 96” diameter piles into their positions for the support of fenders in the new terminal. 

As of February 2019, CASHMAN is almost 80% complete with the 96” piledriving operation, and about 90% complete with the sheet pile-bulkhead system. Upcoming work involves utilities, concrete work, transfer bridge system construction, and fender installation on the 96” monopiles. Due to the various delays experienced out of our control, CASHMAN is working with the Owner to develop a modified scope of work for completion by May 2019.  

The Cashman Family Foundation was founded to utilize the skills and resources of the Cashman Family of Companies for philanthropic projects. The Foundation’s mission is to facilitate economic development through infrastructure improvements, particularly in rural areas. The town of Perches, located in North-East Haiti, is an agricultural area that can only be reached by crossing a river. It is home to over 20,000 people and the area’s largest weekly market. Residents and vendors access the town via an unpaved road, and simply drive or walk through the river but during the 3-4 months of the rainy season, the road frequently becomes impassable. The town has gained a reputation as a place not worth moving to or visiting because it was just too hard to get to.

After the completion of the dismantling of the Fore River Bridge, Jay M. Cashman needed a use for the dismantled acrow bridge panels and was encouraged to donate them. Having previously worked in Haiti for years on pedestrian bridges, he saw first-hand the need for infrastructure improvements in the country. Together with the Haitian government, the Cashman Family Foundation assessed potential locations and decided Perches had a critical need for a bridge.

In addition to the bridge components, the Cashman Family Foundation donated construction, materials, equipment, and construction supervision while Tighe & Bond donated their engineering services. The Haitian Ministry of Public Works, Transportation, and Communications (TPTC) provided all necessary authorizations for the project, provided customs clearing, and is building the approaches to the bridge. The Mayor of Perches, Belijean Noel, mustered community support for the project and negotiated the donation of land for the bridge and secured right-of-way access for the approaches. Engineers Without Borders Portland, Maine Professional Chapter also donated some geotechnical and engineering services.