News from MassDot regarding the start of construction for the replacement of the North Washington Street Bridge connecting the North End/Downtown to Charlestown.
A formal Notice to Proceed (NTP) has been issued to MassDOT’s general contractor for the replacement of the North Washington Street Bridge Reconstruction Project as of August 2018. Internal coordination between the general contractor and MassDOT will continue during the remainder of August and into early September. MassDOT will undertake appropriate outreach with municipal, state and other stakeholders prior to any project work beginning which would impact the community.
Construction will be underway starting in late summer/early fall 2018, through at least 2022. We know that construction means inconvenience, and that it will impact everyone who travels over and lives near the bridge. MassDOT and its general contractor, J.F. White Contracting, are committed to keeping you informed, managing the impacts as best we can, and getting this project done quickly and safely.
The new bridge will have:
- restored vehicle lanes
- a dedicated bus lane (the first on a bridge in the Boston area)
- physically separated bike lanes
- wide sidewalks and an enhanced Freedom Trail
- seating and lighting
- hearty local landscaping (another first on a New England bridge)
After more than 100 years of service, we are replacing the North Washington Street Bridge with a new bridge for the 21st century, a complete street over water that works for everyone: people driving, riding the bus, biking, walking, sightseeing, boating, and living nearby. Whether you walk the Freedom Trail to dinner in the North End, take a bus from Chelsea or Charlestown, drive your kids to school, or kayak in the Harbor, the North Washington Street Bridge is a key part of daily life. But it has been struggling to fulfill those purposes: the center bay has been closed since 2003, and since fall 2017, ongoing emergency repairs by the City of Boston have further restricted lanes. It is due for a well-deserved retirement.
For more information, please visit the MassDOT project website. Questions may be directed to MassDOT Highway Division Government Affairs Liaison Donny Dailey at Donny.Dailey2@dot.state.ma.us.
Four years is a long time to complete the Bridge.
I believe it will cause a major problem for this entire area of Boston (North End, Waterfront, North Station, Government Center, etc.) It will be hectic!
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I realize this is a BIG project put you should do Everything Possible to complete it in at least half that time.
We don’t need a bike & bus lane ok we don’t need seats & other stuff on it what we need is 3 lanes going in and out and no need for it too be a 4 year job ok let’s get teal here ok
4 years to complete and 50 years too late to start the project.
I am no way an expert on Building Bridges. I was told that the Bridge can be built & when it is completed ,
according to all the specifications, it then can be connected to the location it is suppose to be in. There is no way
this will take 4 years to complete. This is another B.S. story to inconvience Residents again, like the
Big Dig, which is now outdated. Stop insulting peoples’ intelligence.
“At least” 4 years…probably more like five years according to MassDOT estimates. The main reason given for the extremely long timeline is the need to keep at least two lanes of traffic and a pedestrian walkway open at all times, primarily for public safety issues. If they could close the bridge off completely for extended periods of time (which they can’t) the contractor could probably replace the bridge in half the projected time.
I hope the Project has dismissed the idea of, drying the length of he project, eliminating the left turn from NorthWashington St to Commercial ( the corner by Fillipo’s).
That is the single worst idea of the project and will create HUGE traffic issues for the North End community.