State seeks consultant for Tobin Bridge replacement plan
It won’t happen anytime soon, but state officials are starting to think about replacing a classic part of the Boston skyline.
The state Department of Transportation plans to hire a consultant to develop “options for the eventual replacement” of the Tobin Bridge, an undertaking that remains years away, Acting Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said Wednesday.
Tibbits-Nutt announced the move at a MassDOT Board of Directors meeting, where members approved a $109 million contract for repairs to the bridge, which connects Boston and Chelsea over the Mystic River.
The roadway is a major commuter route from the North Shore, carrying tens of thousands of vehicles on weekdays.
“Repairs are not a permanent solution,” she said.
Tibbits-Nutt said a request for proposals to develop a replacement plan will likely go out Friday. A study would seek to “gather perspective on the bridge’s future, while it is still in good working order,” she said.
“The time is now,” TibbitsNutt added.
“We need to be taking the steps needed with the planning and engineering decisions to replace the Tobin Bridge with a similar but also alternative infrastructure.”
The study is expected to take two years and will include an environmental impact review, she said.
“Given the number and variety of stakeholders in the Tobin Bridge area, the study’s scope of work proposes a robust public engagement process,” Tibbits-Nutt said.
“This will include, but not be limited to, forming a working group, inviting key stakeholders to participate such as the city of Chelsea, the city of Boston, Massport, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, advocacy groups, and community organizations.”
The Tobin Bridge saw more congestion than usual when the Sumner Tunnel closed from July 5 to Aug. 31 for repairs.
The Tobin made its debut as the Mystic River Bridge in 1950 and was renamed in 1967 for Maurice J. Tobin, who had been a governor, Boston mayor, and labor secretary during the Truman administration.
The iconic span has been featured in several Hollywood movies, most notably “Mystic River,” the 2003 Oscar-winning crime drama.