Crumbling Bridges to Cost Millions to Worcester Area

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Jaclyn Cashman, GoLocalWorcester News Editor

Mass. will spend $100 million rehabilitating Kenneth M. Burns Bridge

Massachusetts will spend more than one billion dollars repairing crumbling bridges in the Bay State over the next few years.

There are 77 bridges in Central Massachusetts that are deemed structurally deficient by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). GoLocalWorcester obtained the list of structurally deficient Central Massachusetts’ bridges.

There are currently 432 structurally deficient bridges across Massachusetts. The eight year accelerated bridge program, which started in 2008 is fixing these bridges across the Commonwealth.

MassDOT breaks the state up into six districts, Worcester County and some surrounding towns make up District three. Over these eight years, Massachusetts will spend about $370 million on rehabilitating and rebuilding about 48 bridges in Central Massachusetts. That’s about 10 percent of the overall budget for bridges across the state.

Some Worcester Drivers are not fazed to hear the condition of Central Massachusetts’ bridges. Stephen Edgecomb said, "I didn't know there were a bunch of bad ones, but it doesn't surprise me. I have to drive where I have to go, but that's pretty scary."

MassDOT spokesman, Michael Verseckes said, “Structurally deficient means that a bridge has to be reviewed for any remedial action, if necessary. It does not necessarily mean there are any safety concerns. Bridges with safety issues are closed immediately.”

Frank Depaola, Administrator of the MassDOT Highway Division, said just because a bridge is considered structurally deficient doesn’t necessary mean it gets added to the accelerated bridge program to repair it.

Depaola said, “The state appropriated $3 billion through a special bond issue in 2008 and using that money we have identified 206 of the 543 structurally deficient bridges we want to replace or repair. We have completed 81 of those as of today. Another 65 are under construction. The rest are in the process of going out to bid or are in the design phase.”

Depaolo said Massachusetts will invest about $300 million into bridge repairs this year and another $400 million each year for the next several years.

‘Mega’ bridge repairs

Section of Kenneth M. Burns Bridge deteriorating

Verseckes said there are about five bridges in the accelerated bridge program that are considered the ‘mega’ jobs. One of them is in Worcester. Depaolo said, “The estimated cost to rehabilitate The Burns Bridge that connects Worcester and Shrewsbury is $118 million. We opened bids a week ago and the lowest responding bid was $89.7 million, which went to Middlesex Construction. The final bridge will be a six-lane bridge, three-lanes in each direction. It will provide for a much more open structure. It will have pedestrian sidewalks on each side of the bridge.”

Shutting a bridge down

Not all bridges listed on the list are owned by the state. However, MassDOT is still responsible for inspecting them. Verseckes said bridges must be inspected every 24 months, and some more frequently, depending on the condition. MassDOT workers are out daily inspecting the 5,000 bridges across Massachusetts.

Bridges that are over rivers are subject to erosion and can force MassDOT to close it.

Depaolo said, “We will examine it and determine if it can no longer support the load of vehicle traffic. Sometimes a bridge will deteriorate and we will keep it open, but post a sign that says no trucks, only passenger vehicles are allowed.”

Some area drivers trust the state is doing a good job inspecting the bridges.
Diana Reyes of Worcester said, "I've heard that the roads and stuff are bad in the city, but I never worry about it. The bridges are pretty bad in some places, but I've never, like, been concerned about driving on them."

Public safety concerns

GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™ and former chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, Matt Amorello said, "There is no higher priority than public safety for MassHighway. It is critical that MassDOT maintain an aggressive bridge inspection program to insure the safety of the motoring public."

"MassDOT and the state legislature should insure that funds from
transportation bond authorizations should be used only for the capital
program and not cover operating budget shortfalls"

Here's the link to bridges that are currently under construction in Central Mass.: Download PDF

Here's the link to bridges that are structurally deficient in Central Mass.: Download PDF