Framingham Bridge Is Re-Opening

FRAMINGHAM, MA—And over the bridge you go, once again.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) said that the new Winter Street Bridge in Framingham will be re-opened to its full capacity of two lanes in each direction on Wednesday, Nov. 1, approximately two months ahead of schedule.

The Winter Street Bridge arcs over the MBTA, Amtrak and CSX railroad lines in Framingham, and was scheduled to be re-opened by January 2018 after being closed to traffic in December 2016 for the bridge replacement project, said the announcement.

“We’d like to thank the members of the public, area legislators and local leaders for their patience as this bridge work replaced the structure carrying vehicles using Winter Street,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver in a statement. “The bridge is opening on November 1 and only small details of work still need to be done which will not significantly impact the four lanes of travel.”

There's still more work to do, including building sidewalks and some landscaping. Officials expect work on the $7.8 million project to be done by mid-2018.

"I am extremely pleased that MassDOT was able to complete the project early, and I’m proud that our work with MassDOT to expedite the process has paid off,” said Senator Karen E. Spilka in a statement. “This is great news for the businesses along Route 135, such as LaCantina Restaurant and the Framingham Baking Company, whose livelihoods have been threatened by the prolonged bridge closure. It is also welcoming news for the many Framingham and Ashland residents who have been re-routed and experienced significant traffic impacts over the past ten months."

“The impact of road or bridge work on surrounding communities and businesses is immense,” said State Representative Chris Walsh in a statement. “Having the commitment and then follow-through of the Department of Transportation at the highest levels to complete projects like the Winter Street bridge reconstruction quickly and efficiently is as critical to the economic health of our community as the quality of the engineering is to the safety of our citizens using the bridge. Though the community understood the need and complexity of such projects, I am pleased that the State understood the importance of getting the job done and back on line 2 months ahead of schedule. Many thanks to MassDOT for their expeditious work and the local community for their forbearance.”

Photo Credit: Town of Framingham