FORE RIVER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
MassDOT, Highway Division
Funded through MassDOT’s Accelerated Bridge Program, this project replaces the current bridge that carries Route 3A over the Fore River between Quincy and Weymouth via a permanent movable span. The $255-million project seeks to construct a permanent movable bridge that is easy to maintain and is aesthetically pleasing to the communities of Quincy and Weymouth. It will serve both motorists and marine interests equally well. As part of the 25% design process, 2 different bridge types, a bascule bridge and a vertical lift bridge, are being evaluated. Fore River Bridge, which carries roughly 30,000 cars each workday, is a vital link in the major Route 3A artery for communities along Boston’s South Shore. HSH is providing the traffic management plan to ensure that construction has the least possible impact on commuters. Elements of the traffic management plan include evaluating current automotive, bicycle, and pedestrian circulation conditions, including the origins and destinations of motorists using the bridge, then using this information to develop plans for temporary signals and signage to help guide drivers during construction of the new bridge.
HSH is also facilitating the public involvement process for the bridge replacement. Central to the process, early coordination with local public officials has helped build trust in the project and the team members at work on it. Direct outreach to members of the public has taken the form of briefings for both general audiences and stakeholder groups such as business and civic associations. HSH has provided documentation for all meetings and a point of contact through which community members can obtain information regarding the project, as well as a dedicated Web site to facilitate information flow. Because the Fore River Bridge is being replaced under the Accelerated Bridge Program, work is progressing within a compressed time frame. The current 25% design phase, begun in October 2008, will end in the spring of 2011 with creation of a design/build package that can be bid by MassDOT. HSH has successfully risen to the challenge of meeting tight deadlines, quickly and responsively providing data when requested, and gaining the public trust to support this fast-moving schedule.
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