Last night, members of the NWCA attended the meeting being held by MASS DOT and the Accelerated Bridge Program at the Hingham Town Hall.  Also note that there were over 60 Weymouth residents in attendance. 

There was a very informative handout there that explains our options and the process in which the new bridge construction will take place.  The current proposal has construction beginning Spring 2011 and ending in 2015.  We’d like to urge you to view and print this document by clicking HERE.  You can see the proposed pictures (Proposed Vertical Lift vs. Proposed Bascule) on that document as well.

Some things to highlight:

–  They really pushed a new vertical lift bridge (similar to what the current temporary bridge is).  The speeds of raising and lower it will be dramatically different.  It currently takes 7 minutes to raise the bridge.  The new bridge will take 2.5 minutes.  It currently takes 6 minutes to lower the bridge.  The new bridge will take 2.5 minutes. 

–  The height of the concrete towers of the new bridge will be approximately 85 feet higher than what the current steel ones are (you can see this in the picture on the PDF file mentioned above).

–  Construction will last approximately 4 years from start to finish.

–  This project is estimated to cost $255 million. 

–  Follow the progress of the bridge construction development by clicking HERE. 

–  Approximately 32,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day.

–  PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING WHICH WAS TAKEN FROM THE PDF FILE (MEETING HANDOUT):  Citizen Input: Your input to the project is solicited and appreciated. Wherever possible, MassDOT Highway Division will integrate citizen input into its design and construction of the new Fore River Bridge. There will be opportunities for you to offer your thoughts throughout the process. Should you have further questions, please feel free to contact Stephanie Boundy by phone at 617-973-8049 or by email at stephanie.boundy@state.ma.us

If you have specific requests for the construction (aesthetics, type of bridge, noise during construction, traffic delays, deterioration of 3A due to construction vehicles, side road traffic due to detours, etc.) please contact Stephanie at MassDOT at the above contact. 

Also consider stating your concerns to your local politicians:

District Counselor:  Victor Pap

Mayor of Weymouth:  Susan Kay

State Senator:  Robert Hedlund

There will be more meetings in the future as development progresses.  We’ll inform members as soon as we have any information about these meetings.