Chelsea (Route 1) Viaduct Rehabilitation

Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Chelsea, Massachusetts

This project included swiftly resurfacing, restoring, and rehabilitating the viaduct and associated ramps to address its structural deficiencies. With an average daily traffic (ADT) of 63,000, the structure plays a critical role in the movement of Route 1 between Boston, Chelsea, and the North Shore, and was reaching the end of its service life after over sixty years. 

During the design phase, HSH completed a peer review for traffic engineering, highway design, and temporary traffic control, as well as leading the community engagement process, particularly encouraging the Environmental Justice communities of the North Shore. During the construction period, HSH embarked on an ambitious outreach effort, merging the existing Tobin Bridge and Chelsea Viaduct websites and databases to represent the unified “Tobin Bridge/Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation Project.” Work included issuing construction project updates every two weeks which also wrapped in the North Washington Street Bridge project, important to Chelsea residents since the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) 111 Bus Route travels all three structures.