2 CITY BRIDGES FACE MAJOR REPAIRS IN 2022

River Street and Circle Street spans identified as deficient by state

» The River Street and Circle Street bridges located adjacent to Crocker Field have supported bustling city vehicles and pedestrians for about a century.

The age of the bridges, combined with their worsening condition, has prompted the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to launch a project to rehabilitate and preserve the structures.

“Bridges have a lifespan like anything else,” MassDOT Proj

ect Manager Matt Hopkinson said.

“If allowed to fall into disrepair, they eventually become unsafe and have to be taken out of service.”

Hopkinson emphasized that the bridges are safe to drive over, but are in need of significant repairs.

The 120-year-old River Street Bridge is currently scheduled to undergo a $4.5 million rehabilitation project beginning in the spring of 2022.

The bridge isn’t currently listed as being in “fair condition,” giving it a structurally deficient status. There have not been significant repairs to the bridge since the 1950s.

“It’s at a point where replacing it is more economical than maintaining it,” Hopkinson said.

“The center pier will remain, while the abutments at either end will be replaced, together with the superstructure,” Hopkinson said.

When completed, the River Street Bridge will enjoy expanded sidewalks, bike lanes on either side, and two travel lanes.

The railings and guardrails will be updated to today’s codes, Hopkinson said. The sidewalks will also be upgraded to meet access requirements, which will improve the appearance of the bridge.

The River Street bridge is expected to be constructed in two stages, maintaining one northbound lane of traffic throughout the project, including pedestrian access.

The project at the Circle Street Bridge would replace the deck, clean, prime, and paint all steel members, repair deteriorated steel members, and repair major concrete cracks and spalls on the substructure.

The bridge, which has been identified as structurally deficient, was first built in 1937.

At this early design stage, the Circle Street project is anticipated to start in the spring of 2022 and be complete in the spring of 2023.

The project currently has a total estimated cost of about $3.3 million. Hopkinson said the bridge will remain closed for most of the construction period.

Hopkinson said the Circle

Street bridge approach from Main Street will be updated at the time of construction to better comply with accessibility features.

Crosswalks across Main Street and across Circle Street will be brought up to current standards, new bridge rails will be added, and it will remain a single lane bridge with one sidewalk.

There will be no cost to the city as the state government is paying for the entire project, but it is possible that federal funding will be identified before the design is complete, Hopkinson said.

DANIEL MONAHAN / SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE A look at the Circle Street Bridge from the Nashua River. The span is due for a major repair project in 2022.

DANIEL MONAHAN / SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE MassDOT is gearing up for a major renovation project on the River Street Bridge, which sits adjacent to Crocker Field.