Construction of the new bridge spanning the Chelsea River is progressing rapidly. The twin primary supports of this all-steel bridge have already been positioned and secured to cement foundations on the Chelsea side at Chelsea Street Bridge. In the coming weeks, a matching pair of twin primary supports will be installed on the East Boston side. The most significant challenge lies ahead with the demolition of the existing structure. Dismantling the old bridge will involve an extensive salvage operation, where cutting torches will section the bridge into manageable pieces for transport via cross-country trucks to scrap facilities. An additional complication involves the massive cement counterweight mechanism that enables the bridge to open for river traffic. The method for fragmenting this cement counterweight has yet to be determined. Overall, the demolition sequence appears likely to create more substantial disruption than the new construction phase, which benefits from modern engineering efficiencies incorporated into the contemporary bridge design.
