Beverly-Salem Kernwood Bridge To Close For 6 Weeks: What To Know

BEVERLY, MA — The planned six-week closure of the Kernwood Avenue Bridge connecting Beverly and Salem will begin on Monday with detours in place for both of the two major drawbridges in the city.

The Hall-Whitaker Drawbridge has been closed to traffic since 2022 with a temporary drawbridge to replace it still two years away from completion.

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MassDOT District 4 Highway Director Paul Steadman said during a public update at Beverly Middle School in January that the Kernwood closure was necessary as part of work to keep that bridge viable during the Hall-Whitaker construction.

The bridges are not expected to be fully replaced until 2033.

The Kernwood closure begins Monday morning at 6 a.m. and will last until July 11.

During this time, crews will remove and replace the existing steel grid deck on the swing span, and repair or replace selected supporting structural steel components.

During the closure, a signed detour using Veterans Memorial Bridge and Liberty Street will be in place for vehicles. Bicycles and pedestrians impacted by any closures will have alternate route options, including the formal, signed detour route.

"We recognize it's a challenging area for pedestrians and bicycles to navigate around," Steadman said at the January meeting.

The Hall-Whitaker Bridge remains open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic, with officials saying that will continue to be the case until the temporary bridge opens to all traffic in 2027.

While the bridge will be in the open position or operating normally for marine traffic during the closure, temporary closures of the waterway may be necessary there as well.

Drivers traveling through the affected area should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution.

All scheduled work is weather-dependent and subject to change without notice.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)