Replacement of Four Bridges along South Coast Rail

www.mass.gov/southcoastrail
Replacement of Four Bridges along South Coast Rail
in Fall River and New Bedford
MassDOT is continuing construction to rehabilitate
the Fall River and New Bedford railroad lines, a
necessary step toward providing South Coast Rail
service. Beginning this summer, MassDOT will take
action to remove and replace four bridges: one in
New Bedford and three in Fall River. The replacement
of these four bridges is an initiative that will begin
to advance South Coast Rail while providing fast and
tangible benefits that will help the expanding freight
service in the region. Last fall, a contractor began
installing thousands of rail ties and spikes along
33 miles of right-of-way leading to Fall River and
New Bedford until winter weather froze the rail bed.
Rail work will resume this spring, with the bridge
replacement work beginning next year.
The track improvements are critical steps in building
the foundation necessary to bring long-awaited
passenger train service to the South Coast. Removing
and replacing these older bridges will support
freight service while preparing for the more complex
construction to come for passenger rail. MassDOT
will hold Design Public Hearings on the Four Bridges
Replacement project in Fall River and New Bedford
to introduce the projects to the communities,
outline traffic or other potential impacts and gather
comments on the proposed work.
Golf Club Road bridge is currently out of service due to its poor condition.
Wamsutta
New Bedford’s Wamsutta Bridge is a three-span railroad
bridge over Route 18, Acushnet Avenue and Wamsutta
Street. The bridge’s inadequate clearance (12 feet 10 inches)
over Route 18 has given it an infamous reputation for
truck and bridge collisions. More than a dozen vehicular
collisions have been reported at the bridge in recent years.
The replacement bridge will provide increased vertical
clearance over each of the roadways. The proposed work
will utilize some of the more modern accelerated bridge
construction techniques, particularly for the decking
and abutments. Repairs will require reducing Route 18
northbound and southbound to two travel lanes in each
direction, for approximately six to nine months. There will
be temporary pavement work in the Route 18 median to
manage traffic. The work will also require the closure and
detour of Acushnet Avenue, in the vicinity of Wamsutta
Street, for about six months.
Golf Club Road
Fall River hosts three railroad bridges that will be completely
removed and replaced. Golf Club Road off North Main
Street crosses MassDOT’s rail right-of-way near the Fall
River Country Club. The bridge is currently out of service due
to its poor condition and will be completely removed and
replaced. The new bridge will be designed to restore a safe,
grade-separated crossing over the railroad. The proposed
work will require reducing a portion of Golf Club Road to a
single, alternating lane for approximately six months.
South Coast Rail - April 2014 | Page 1
part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009. Three bridges – over New Bedford’s Deane
Street, Sawyer Street and Coggeshall Street – were
the first TIGER grant awards to begin construction in
the nation and were completed four months ahead
of schedule. The Wamsutta Bridge was included in
the original TIGER application, but the award did not
include enough funding for all four bridges.
The Wamsutta Bridge in New Bedford will be improved to increase
vertical clearance over the roadway.
President Avenue
A second railroad bridge crosses over President
Avenue (Route 6) in Fall River. MassDOT proposes to
completely remove and replace the existing railroad
bridge superstructure. The replacement bridge will
provide increased vertical clearance over President
Avenue and will span the roadway, allowing the center
pier to be removed from the travel way. The removal
of the center pier will eliminate the visual obstruction
beneath the bridge crossing. The proposed work will
require a series of weekend closures of the section of
President Avenue under the bridge to through traffic.
Brownell Street
The third Fall River bridge crosses Brownell Street not
far from Bicentennial Park. The work includes complete
removal and replacement of the existing railroad
bridge superstructure. The replacement bridge will
provide increased vertical clearance over the roadway.
The proposed work will require a series of short-term
closures of the section of Brownell Street under the
bridge to through traffic.
Constructed in 1907, these three New Bedford rail
bridges were badly deteriorated and limited only to light
freight loads. The abutments and walls were in equally
poor condition. Without the replacement project, the
bridges might have been closed, disrupting freight
service to New Bedford’s Port as well as ongoing
harbor dredging. In addition, the low clearances
under the bridges constricted the roadways beneath,
constraining access and cutting off potential waterfront
development. Rebuilding the bridges allows freight
to continue to be shipped by rail, an environmentally
friendly way to transport goods. The new bridges were a
much-needed facelift for this area of the city.
Next Steps
The four bridges replacement is expected to take a
couple of years to complete. Construction on the
bridges will begin in 2015. For more information on the
bridge design hearings and other meetings, and to sign
up for emails about the project, visit the project website
at www.mass.gov/southcoastrail.
Connect with MassDOT for transportation news and updates!
Previous Bridge Work
www.mass.gov/massdot
MassDOT undertook work on other bridges serving
freight and destined to support South Coast Rail
beginning in 2009 with the award of a federal TIGER
stimulus grant program. TIGER, or Transportation
Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, is
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Contact Us
To ask questions or let the project team know
about an issue or concern, contact Jean Fox at:
[email protected]
To learn more about the project and sign up for
email updates and advisories, visit the website at:
(857) 368-8853
South Coast Rail - April 2014 | Page 2
www.mass.gov/southcoastrail