Seekonk Select Board Awards Arcade Avenue Contract to Higher Bidder, Citing Prior Project Failures

SEEKONK — June 17, 2026 — Seekonk's Select Board voted 3-2 to bypass the low bidder and award a $2.67 million-plus paving contract to J.H. Lynch and Sons for Arcade Avenue and Oak Hill Avenue work. The board rejected a recommendation from Town Administrator Sean Cadeen to stick with the lowest bidder, Pawtucket Hot Mix, whose prior work on Anthony Street and several residential streets was described by Director of Public Works Dave Cabral as "by far the worst" road project in his 19 years with the town — marked by a missing on-site superintendent, flooded front yards, misaligned berms, and months of unfulfilled schedule commitments. The price difference between the two bidders is $592,405, prompting Cadeen to argue that the gap represents nearly two-thirds of the town's annual $970,000 Chapter 90 road allocation, though board members Chris Zora, Michael Haley, and Bob Archibald said the documented failures on Arcade Avenue — the town's only direct north-south connector — justified the premium. Lynch has committed to breaking ground by June 29, 2026, with completion targeted before the end of August.