Baker Advances Bridge Connecting Somerville, Encore Casino

SOMERVILLE, MA — The building of a pedestrian bridge connecting Somerville and Encore Boston Harbor moved forward Friday, with Gov. Charlie Baker's announcement that his administration will complete the design, permitting and construction of the project.

The bridge will connect Draw Seven Park near the MBTA Assembly Station to the casino, linking communities within the Northern Strand and Mystic River trail network.

"This long-awaited project will provide the residents of Everett, Somerville and surrounding communities with a safe and convenient way to walk or bike across the Mystic River," Baker said in a statement. "Once built, the Mystic River bridge will re-connect these communities, enhance access to transportation and local businesses and link the long-distance trail network on the North Shore, delivering significant benefits to the entire region."

A feasibility study done by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in 2009 found that a new bridge was the best option for a connection across the Mystic River, due to its ability to provide a safe route for pedestrians and bicyclists and reconnect communities divided by highways, high-speed roads and water.

State officials estimate that approximately 2,300 pedestrians and more than 350 bicyclists will use the bridge on a daily basis. Formally proposed as a result of the study, the bridge will be approximately 12 feet wide, 785 feet long, and 35 feet high at the top of the structure, and will include lighting, signs and benches along its entire length.

"By making sure this bridge gets built, the Baker-Polito Administration is delivering a mobility solution that prioritizes equity, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances access to local businesses and services for residents in these Environmental Justice communities," Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides said. "The Mystic River bridge will provide a critical link for residents that makes public transit and recreational trails easier to access, building on the Administration’s investments in long-distance trail networks like the Northern Strand."

The bridge will connect the 11.5-mile Northern Strand path, which runs through Everett, Malden, Revere, Saugus and Lynn, to the Mystic River and Malden River trail networks.

Four of the five communities along the Northern Strand are Gateway Cities, one-time economic hubs that have been identified for rejuvenation, and all of them, in addition to Somerville, are Environmental Justice communities. Of the 111,000 people that live within one half mile of the Northern Strand, 96,000, or 86 percent, meet at least one Environmental Justice Criteria.

"The Mystic River Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge will be an important link in a larger network of regional pathways on both sides of the Mystic River," said Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone. "Connecting the communities in the Mystic River basin is a step forward for transportation equity and for making sustainable, environmentally friendly transit options more accessible to residents in our region. I look forward to this project moving forward and opening up a new connection between Somerville and Everett."

The announcement to advance and complete the project follows a commitment of $650,000 from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to finish the design and permitting phase of the project. This phase of the project is expected to be completed in Summer 2022, with construction projected to begin in 2024 or sooner, pending the permitting process.

To pay for the approximately $35 million construction cost, the Baker administration will look at federal grant funding and is exploring several additional options to finance the project. The bridge will be under the care and custody of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

"Providing our residents and visitors with unique opportunities to get outdoors and live healthy active lifestyles is more important now than ever before," DCR Commissioner Jim Montgomery said. "Creating critical trail connections by building the Mystic River Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge is yet another example of the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to improving our trail system and forging community bonds"

Public meetings were held in both Everett and Somerville, in addition to six large stakeholder meetings focused on various aspects of the project. The administration also held public hearings associated with project permitting in each community.