Previous Page | Print this Document

June 27, 2008 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, and Rep. John Fernandes, D-Milford, recently announced that the Mill Street Bridge project in the town of Hopedale will soon resume construction after being halted in March of this year. Construction had been put on hold due to safety concerns about water control.

The Mill Street Bridge project has met the ire of local residents after beginning in 2007, due to construction delays from design complications. The move to halt construction in March came when water levels reached dangerous new heights, and the Massachusetts Office of Dam Safety instructed the Massachusetts Highway Department that a newly designed structure was required to protect local residents from flooding.

After crafting a new redesign, and securing a dam safety permit, a request has now been placed with the Army Corps of Engineers who could grant final approval as soon as July 2nd. Given the nature of the project, and the non-existence of any historical landmark interferences, an unproblematic and timely approval is anticipated by the Army Corps.

The Mill Street Bridge project has been a collaborative effort, as Moore and Fernandes have communicated often with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Massachusetts. Kennedy has been integral in advocating for the project with the Army Corps of Engineers, ensuring that the permit could be expedited to its current status. 

"I am pleased that this long-delayed project finally appears to be getting back on track, and that Mass. Highway believes the bridge will be open to traffic by the end of the year,” said Sen. Moore. “It's unfortunate that the project has inconvenienced so many people, and their patience is appreciated. Rep. Fernandes, Sen. Kennedy, Hopedale officials and I have been in constant contact with project managers, Mass. Highway officials including the Commissioner, and with federal officials to advocate for prompt action. We will continue to push for completion at the earliest possible date."

Continuing on the importance of the project, Rep. Fernandes commented: "This has been a long and frustrating experience for all involved, particularly those involved who live on the Mendon side of the bridge in the Mill Street/ Laurelwood area. Sen. Moore, Hopedale officials and I have been in constant contact with Mass Highway to keep the pressure on to restart and complete this project immediately. It appears that we finally have reached the point of re-commencing the work and getting the job done. There is simply no good reason for what has happened at the Mill Bridge in Hopedale. It is not about the people at Mass Highway but it is about a process in desperate need of reform.

As a House member on the Transportation Committee, and being involved in a review of the major transportation issues impacting our state, I have used the Mill Street bridge experience as a stark example of the need for the Governor and his transportation staff to streamline and reform the bridge and roadway reconstruction procedures at the state level. The current state of affairs is simply unacceptable,” Fernandes concluded.

With the final approval awaiting the July 2nd meeting, construction should resume within the next two to three weeks. Pending any future delay, the project should reach a point by the end of the year, where at least one lane of traffic will be open.

“We will make sure that this project is realized at the earliest possible time,” said Moore. “I am certain that the delays of this project will be a distant memory in the near future.”

Previous Page | Print this Document