End in Sight for Route 93 Bridge Construction

Twelve out of the fourteen bridges that carry Route 93 over Medford’s roads have been completed as of July 31. The bridge that carries Route 93 South over Riverside Avenue is scheduled to be replaced Friday, August 5-Monday, August 8 and the bridge over Route 16 should be replaced Friday, August 12-Monday, August 15. The cost of the entire project is over $98 million.

According to Christine Mizioch of the MassDOT Design Build Program team, the fourteen bridges that are being replaced are around the same age and have similar problems, prompting the state to replace them all at once. Mizioch said what would normally take five years is being done in one weekend, with bridges being demolished on Friday night and new pre-made bridge decking in place by the Monday morning rush hour.

The bridge replacement project, impressive in its scope and timeline, has caused delays on Medford roads and every weekend Route 93 has been down to just two lanes in each direction between Somerville and Stoneham to accommodate work crews. If all goes according to plan, the noisy, house-rattling construction should be completed by the early morning hours of August 15.

More information on the project can be found online.

Below are photos of the demolition of the Route 93 South bridge over Valley Street on July 22 taken by Doug and Alyssa Shoop.

– InsideMedford.com