Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced implementation of a plan to re-sequence construction on the Longfellow Bridge by combining Stages 4 and 6 – a measure which the contractor White-Skanska-Consigli (WSC) said would result in faster completion of the project in June 2018, three months earlier than previously anticipated.
This announcement follows a robust public process, which included a stakeholder briefing and two public meetings in Boston and Cambridge in August. MassDOT has begun the multimodal shifts to accommodate the combined stages
Under this plan, WSC will simultaneously rehabilitate the bridge under the MBTA outbound track (Stage 4) and reconstruct the downstream roadway and sidewalk (previously planned for Stage 6). With this modification, the contractor anticipates having all modes of travel in their final configuration by June 2018. Stage 5 will be performed after the combined Stages 4 and 6.
“It’s no secret that the rehabilitation of this historic bridge posed significant challenges in the early stages of construction, but by working with and challenging our contractor to think creatively, we are happy to see a significant time savings and bring this project to completion sooner,” MassDOT Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin said. “This response to challenges faced demonstrates MassDOT’s commitment to delivering the highest quality projects that respond to the needs of all modes and types of travelers.”
State Rep. Jay Livingstone said, “I’m pleased that MassDOT and its contractors continue to look for ways to shorten the reconstruction of the Longfellow Bridge. I fully support MassDOT’s newest plan, which will again shorten the reconstruction by months. MassDOT’s willingness to keep all critical stakeholders fully informed has been extremely helpful throughout the entire process”
State Rep Tim Toomey said, “MassDOT and the Longfellow Bridge contractor are clearly working hard to get the project completed at an earlier date. I appreciate their efforts to consistently provide residents and stakeholders with the latest information about the project, and they’ve been doing a great job at coming back to the community on a regular basis to provide updates and answer questions.”
To accommodate this time saving work, all modes of travel will use the upstream side of the bridge, pedestrians will use the upstream sidewalk for travel in both directions; inbound bicyclists will use the new 5-foot wide designated bike lane on the upstream roadway; and outbound bicyclists will share the upstream sidewalk with pedestrians.
While outbound cyclists may ride their bikes on the sidewalk, MassDOT asks that cyclists and pedestrians use caution and respect the rights of everyone to use public infrastructure in this temporary shared configuration.
Also, MBTA and emergency response access across the bridge will be maintained at all times.
Visit the project Web site to learn more about the Stage 4 ans 6 bike routes and to view the bike route maps for the Boston Approach and the Cambridge Approach.
The Cambridge-bound detour remains in place using the existing signed route from Charles Circle following Charles Street to Leverett Circle, Monsignor O’Brien Highway (Route 28)/Charles River Dam Road and Land Boulevard.
View the Stage 4 and 6 Graphic for travel space configuration along the Longfellow Bridge. Learn more about Stage 4 and 6 in the Construction Updates section of the project Web site.
The Longfellow Bridge restoration project began in 2013. White-Skanska-Consigli Joint Venture is the contractor for the project.