The board of directors of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation recently approved a $78.7 million design-build contract to construct the Mystic River Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge – creating a new cross-river connection between the towns of Everett and Somerville.
[Above photo by MassDOT]
MassDOT said the new bridge will cross the Mystic River between Draw Seven Park in Somerville and the Gateway Park trail and public boardwalk in Everett – closing a critical gap in the region’s walking and biking network by connecting trails, neighborhoods, businesses, public transportation, and recreational opportunities on both sides of the river.
The agency noted that it is delivering the project in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation or DCR, which will own and maintain the bridge once construction is complete.
In addition to the bridge itself, the project includes connections to existing shared-use paths, new lighting and wayfinding, landscaped approaches and improvements along the riverfront, noted Phil Eng, interim MassDOT secretary and general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority or MBTA, which is a division of MassDOT.
“This project continues to deliver on that commitment connecting people to jobs, neighborhoods, recreation, transit and opportunity,” he said in a statement. “Executing this contract brings us another step closer to delivering a safer, multimodal transportation network connecting residents and communities of Everett, Somerville, and the entire region.”
[Editor’s note: MassDOT’s board also recently approved the transfer of $600 million for three major state transportation initiatives: modernizing the MBTA’s commuter rail fleet, supporting infrastructure needed to build more housing, and improving the safety and resilience of roads, bridges and parkways managed by the DCR. That funding is authorized by Chapter 90 legislation signed into law by Governor Maura Healey (D) earlier this year and includes $200 million for each of those efforts.]
“This bridge will close a major missing link in the regional bicycle and pedestrian network and create a direct connection across the Mystic River where none exists today,” added Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT’s undersecretary of transportation and state highway administrator.
“Selecting a contractor to bring the project through final design and construction is an important milestone for a project that has required close coordination among stakeholders,” he said. “When complete, this new bridge will provide a safe, accessible connection that ties together transit, neighborhoods, and businesses with an expanding network of shared-use paths on both sides of the river.”
