North Reading Awarded $500,000 Municipal Small Bridge Program State Grant

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) and North Reading Town Administrator Michael P. Gilleberto are pleased to announce that North Reading has been awarded a $500,000 state grant through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) Municipal Small Bridge Program.

North Reading’s grant will be used to support the ongoing work to replace the Park Street bridge over Martins Brook. The local bridge is one of 35 small bridge projects to be approved for funding this year, with approximately $14.6 million in grant money being distributed statewide in the latest funding round.

Requests for funding under the Municipal Small Bridge Program are vetted by MassDOT by taking into consideration the condition, benefits and repair status of each bridge, and determining if the project demonstrates a critical need or will substantially extend the life of an existing small bridge. MassDOT’s February 24, 2021 Inspection Report of the Park Street bridge rated its deck, superstructure and substructure as a 4, 5 and 7, respectively, based on a 10-point scale, with 10 representing the best conditions and 1 the worst.

“Planning has been underway for this project for a couple of years and included state assistance for design,” said Gilleberto. “We appreciate this opportunity to partner with MassDOT, with the help of our legislative delegation, to reduce the burden on the Town for construction.”

“The ongoing rehabilitation of the Park Street bridge will address the documented structural deficiencies that currently exist and will help to ensure the safety of the many drivers who utilize the bridge on a daily basis once it re-opens,” said Representative Jones. “Congratulations to Town Administrator Gilleberto and North Reading officials for submitting a successful grant application to MassDOT to help move this critical project forward.”

“The Park Street Bridge is a critical link in the transportation infrastructure for North Reading and the region, and identified deficiencies in its condition demand action to ensure that it is safe and capable,” said Senator Tarr. “Local officials are responding in a proactive way, by tackling needed repairs and successfully securing this grant funding to reduce the burden on the town' s budget and taxpayers.”

The Park Street bridge serves as an important connective link to Route 62, Route 28 and to various locations in the southwest section of town. The 112-year-old structure underwent temporary repairs in 2021.

Park Street has been closed to traffic between Winter Street and Main Street since construction began on May 5. While it is anticipated the road will be reopened to traffic in August, the bridge replacement project is not expected to be fully completed until October 15.

Created in 2016, the Municipal Small Bridge Program is designed to help municipalities preserve, rehabilitate and replace bridges with a span of between 10 and 20 feet that are located on and carry a public way. Federal law does not recognize structures with a span of less than 20 feet as bridges, making the Park Street bridge and other similarly sized bridges ineligible for federal aid.

Funding provided through the Municipal Small Bridge Program is intended to help communities with bridge design and construction costs, with design grants capped at $100,000 per community and construction grants capped at $500,000 per community. North Reading was previously awarded a $100,000 design grant in July of 2022.