The state has hired a contractor to build the long-planned walking and biking bridge across the Mystic River between Everett and Somerville. The MassDOT Board of Directors on Wednesday, September 23, approved a $78.7 million design-build contract for the Mystic River Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge, according to MassDOT.
The contract went to Barletta Heavy Division, according to Streetsblog Massachusetts, which reported that the vote was unanimous and that MassDOT expects construction to take about three years.
Where it goes
The bridge will cross the river between Draw Seven Park in Somerville and the Gateway Park trail and public boardwalk in Everett, next to the Encore Boston Harbor site. MassDOT says it will close a gap in the region’s walking and biking network and strengthen connections to the Northern Strand Trail, the Mystic River Greenway, the Malden River Greenway, Assembly Row and Everett’s Lower Broadway district. The work includes connections to existing paths, lighting, wayfinding and landscaped approaches. The Department of Conservation and Recreation will own and maintain the bridge.
For Chelsea, the relevance is the trail network. The Northern Strand Trail, which the bridge ties into, runs from Everett north through Malden, Revere and Saugus toward Lynn. A car-free crossing at Lower Broadway would give residents of Everett, and of Chelsea next door, a route on foot or by bike to Assembly Row and its Orange Line station that does not share a highway bridge with traffic.
What it costs
The contract came in about 27 percent over MassDOT’s earlier estimate of roughly $62 million, Streetsblog reported. With about $17 million added for contingencies, flaggers and engineering, the total reaches about $96 million. A MassDOT official attributed the increase to market volatility in materials, especially steel.
What was said
“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,” Undersecretary and State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said in MassDOT’s announcement.
“For too long, the Mystic River has been a barrier between Everett and our neighboring communities,” Everett Mayor Robert J. Van Campen said. “This bridge will give residents more options to get to work, connect to public transit, and walk or bike instead of sitting in traffic.”
Design-build means final design and construction proceed together under the same contractor. MassDOT has not announced a construction start date.