Skanska Brings Engineering Muscle to Manage Bridge Jobs in Bay State
By Chuck MacDonald CEG CORRESPONDENT
Design-build contracts can offer the benefits of a large construction firm’s intimate knowledge of what it does best to be applied to a community project. The result can be cost and time savings, improved safety and other benefits. When the Skanska USA Civil Northeast won contracts to rebuild and upgrade several bridges in Massachusetts, the company quickly put some of its best strategies into action. The projects for Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) include a $29 million job to rebuild the Route 3 bridge (Pilgrims Highway), located over Franklin Street in Duxbury. A separate contract encompass the replacement of eight bridge decks across locations in
Yarmouth, Maine, Officials Unanimously
OK Plan to Remove Two Royal River Dams
In a historic vote more than two decades in the making, the Yarmouth, Maine, town council has voted unanimously to remove two town-owned dams on the Royal River and consider fish passage improvements at a stretch of rapids in between them.
The decision follows a federal proposal released last
spring and is the most authoritative step to removing the Bridge Street Dam and East Elm Street Dam since 2009, when the town first began studying how their removal could improve the Royal River’s health and fisheries.
The Maine Monitor, a nonprofit civic news organization,
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MaineDOT Prevails in Court Decision On Bridge Replacement
A federal appeals court in Boston has affirmed a lower court’s decision supporting the Maine Department of Transportation’s planned replacement of the Frank J. Wood Bridge over the Androscoggin River connecting the towns of Brunswick and Topsham, MaineDOT announced in a Jan. 13 news release.
The First Circuit U.S. Court of decision, issued on Jan. 10, upholds a U.S. District Court ruling that was handed down in January 2024.
“This latest ruling reaffirms that the decision to replace the Frank J. Wood Bridge, rather than rehabilitate the existing structure, was and is the best way to continue to provide a safe and reliable connection between the villages of Brunswick and Topsham,” commented MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note.
“This is the eighth court ruling since 2020 that supports the new bridge decision made by the state and federal transportation officials after an extensive public and permitting process. While a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to request further appeal is possible, we hope that the consistency and
strength of the prior legal rulings, the low likelihood of success of such petitions, and the widespread support for the new bridge will lead the plaintiffs to conclude that it is time to end this lengthy and expensive legal
process.”
Portland’s WCSH-TV noted that various groups in the area have fought against the full replacement of the old bridge, saying it is part of the community’s history and could be rehabilitated instead of replaced.
Despite the legal maneuvering, however, work has continued to progress since spring 2023 on constructing the new river crossing.
The Frank J. Wood Bridge is a three-span, through truss bridge that has carried U.S. Highway 201 automobile traffic over the river since it was opened in 1932.
Due to its being over 90 years old, though, the old bridge has critical structural issues. MaineDOT noted that it is fracture critical and rated in poor condition. Since November 2021, the agency has prohibited all commercial traffic from using the current bridge.
MaineDOT began the process to improve the crossing in 2014. However, legal and process delays through a period of extraordinary construction inflation caused the new bridge costs to more than triple original conceptual estimates.
Finally, in February 2023, a contract for
the replacement structure was awarded to Reed & Reed Inc. in nearby Woolwich for $49.9 million.
On-site construction on the replacement bridge began in April 2023, according to MaineDOT, and steel beams are currently being placed on the new piers and abutments. All work associated with the construction contract is scheduled to be finished in late 2026, but the new bridge is expected to be open to traffic earlier than that.
The transportation department said that once the new bridge is complete, the communities of Brunswick and Topsham will be connected by a safe and reliable span located on a curved upstream alignment that will feature enhancements requested by a local design advisory committee.
Designed and built to last for at least 100 years, the replacement bridge will have sidewalks on both sides with pedestrian viewing bump-outs, wider shoulders on both sides, parks at each end, special railings, lighting, various other design details and unobstructed views of the natural and architectural features of the surrounding Pejepscot Falls site.
Millinocket Regional Hospital Begins Work On Upgrade
The coming year is set to be one of reinvention for the Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) in Maine, as its officials held a groundbreaking on Dec. 31 to signify the start of their newest construction project.
The significant milestone marks the beginning of a transformative $17 million project that will enhance healthcare access and quality for the residents of the Katahdin Region of Maine and more than 250,000 tourists that visit the region annually, according to a MRH news release.
Over the next 14 months, A/Z Corp., a Connecticut contractor, will be renovating the hospital’s main entrance and emergency department.
“Right now, we have five working bays, and we have enough room in the hallways for three or four more patients,” explained Robert Peterson, MRH’s chief executive officer of MRH, in speaking with WABITV in nearby Bangor. “But the new ER will have 10 working bays, all much larger than the bays we have now, [and] all private, and each room can be converted to either negative or positive air pressure to protect our patients and our staff from infection.”
More than 80 percent of the project’s cost is covered through federal grants and state approval, with only around $2 million more to raise, he said.
This impactful capital project was made
possible through extensive grant funding and support from the Penobscot County Commissioners, Maine’s two U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I), as well as the generous support of individuals.
Peterson explained that securing this funding is imperative to ensure patients receive top-of-the-line care, even in rural communities like Millinocket.
“We are 60 miles away from Houlton Hospital and another 40 miles-plus from Penobscot Valley,” he added. “If a patient has a trauma situation here close to the hospital, that’s too far for them to travel. They may not make it.
“We don’t want to be a free-standing emergency department. We don’t want to be Band-Aid station,” Peterson continued. “We want to be a hospital that can meet the needs of any patient that comes on this campus or comes to us via ambulance.”
Not only will the renovation benefit the hospital, Peterson noted, but he hopes that it sends the message of an economic upturn for Millinocket and the community’s dedication to investing in their town after numerous area mill closures.
In early December, Millinocket Regional received final approval from the commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with the expansion and renovation effort.
The new MRH upgrade will offer:
• An enhanced patient experience as the new Emergency Department will provide a more comfortable and efficient space with updated facilities, increased capacity and reduced wait times for people needing care.
• Specialized treatment rooms, including dedicated trauma, cardiac and behavioral health areas, ensuring optimal care for a wider range of patients.
• A modern design that not only will incorporate rooms to guard against patients and staff contracting airborne pathogens, but a decontamination room, and a larger ambulance entrance to manage emergencies more safely and effectively.
ED Services to Continue During Construction
MRH is committed to providing exceptional healthcare services to the Millinocket community and beyond, Peterson noted, and the hospital’s new Emergency Department is a testament to improving the health and well-being of patients.
“This is an exciting event in the rich history of MRH,” he explained in the news release. “We are building a modernized facility capable of meeting the needs of the communities we serve for decades to come. It is an honor and a privilege to be part of something this meaningful and significant
to the vitality of the Katahdin region.”
The project will be completed in two phases.
The first will include the construction of a new main entrance and the expansion of the ED. During that time, emergency services will continue to be delivered in the current ED until the new construction is complete.
Once the work is finished, emergency operations will then move into the new space, the upgraded main entrance will open, and Phase Two — the renovation of the current emergency department — will begin. Upon its completion, the two sections will be joined together as a single modern unit, according to MRH officials. Peterson acknowledged that the next year will not come without its challenges to parking and access but believes the completed project will be worth the temporary inconveniences.
During construction, patients will continue to have access to the hospital campus via Poplar, Somerset, and Spruce Streets; however, the main entrance to the hospital building will be temporarily closed. Visitors and patients accessing the ED, laboratory and diagnostic imaging should use the North entrance off Spruce Street. Clear signage will be posted throughout the campus to assist with wayfinding.
MaineDOT photo
Progress continues on the Frank J. Wood Bridge project under the direction of Reed & Reed.
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Vermont will receive $25.8 million in federal funding to help replace the Readsboro Bridge, which spans the Deerfield River in the small rural town of Readsboro, the Burlington Free Press reported Jan. 14.
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Bolstering Vermont’s infrastructure is crucial to ensuring the safety, security and success of families, workers, and people traveling through the Green Mountain State,” Vermont’s Congressional Delegation said in a joint statement. “The replacement of the Readsboro Bridge will boost southern Vermont’s critical infrastructure, improve safety and accessibility, and make Readsboro more resilient to extreme weather.”
The state’s delegation in Washington includes Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), Sen. Peter Welch (D), and Rep. Becca Balint, a Democrat representing the state’s at-large congressional district.
The Free Press noted that the total estimated cost of the project is just over $33 million, with construction slated to begin this
& & R ALES E AVY EQ RENTALS PMENQUI N
Vt. Receives Fed Funds to Replace Readsboro Bridge
summer and continue through the winter of 2028.
Traffic flow will be maintained throughout the project using phased construction, with some weekend closures utilizing a detour for major stages of the work, such as erecting the bridge’s steel girders or pouring its concrete deck.
“The bridge project has been long overdue, and the community has been patient and cooperative throughout the process,”
Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn said in a statement. “This grant money ensures construction while stretching [the state’s] funds further for infrastructure improvements.”
Seventy Years Have Taken Toll On Bridge
The Readsboro Bridge is located about 5 mi. south of the intersection of Vermont Highway 100 and Vt. 8 in Bennington County, and just north of the Massachusetts state line.
The existing span was built in 1954 and is currently in rough shape, according to the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), which characterized it as structurally deficient with “a very poor deck and superstructure condition.”
In addition, the agency noted that the bridge has exposed rebar in the concrete underneath its deck and significant deterioration within the steel beams and connections.
At a planned 287 ft. long, the new Readsboro Bridge will be 53 ft. shorter than the existing structure, eliminating a “significant skew” in the old bridge, according to VTrans. The new structure’s design calls for a single span supported by four plate girders, in contrast to the existing structure’s three-span, continuous twogirder bridge. Two of the latter’s spans are 105 ft. long, while the other is 130 ft. in length.
The transportation agency also noted that the replacement for the existing Readsboro Bridge will be constructed to better withstand Vermont’s extreme weather events driven by climate change, such as the devastating 2023 and 2024 floods, by using improved drainage systems.
VTrans first evaluated alternatives for rehabilitation or replacement of the Readsboro Bridge in an engineering study completed in October 2013. That evaluation assessed the proposed design criteria for the bridge and roadway alignment, right of way impacts, hydraulics and historical and archaeological resources.
Based on what the agency learned, several alternatives were considered for the bridge project, including taking no action, performing a deck reconstruction, making superstructure upgrades and fully replacing the bridge both on and off alignment. In the end, the Readsboro Bridge’s age and condition led VTrans to determine that a completely new span needed to be built. Its substructure will be composed of concrete abutments supported by piles at one end, and on ledge at the other end. The bridge will feature two, 10-ft. travel lanes with 4-ft. shoulders on each side and a sidewalk at its north end.
The new Readsboro Bridge will be 53 ft. shorter than the existing structure, eliminating a “significant skew” in the old bridge, according to VTrans.
VTrans photo
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New Bedford Wants New Bridge to Be Aesthetically Pleasing
The more than 120-year-old New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge in Massachusetts will be going from “swing” to “vertical lift” when it is finally replaced, according to state plans.
That is, instead of opening by swinging horizontally, as it has throughout its history, a section of the bridge will be raised to allow vessels to pass underneath.
City officials had questioned the choice by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to pursue that design, but have since accepted the state agency’s rationale, including that it will require shorter road closings and be less disruptive to traffic during the construction phase.
Now, however, New Bedford leaders want to make sure that the new bridge is not only fully functional but aesthetically pleasing, as befitting a structure of such prominence, the New Bedford Standard Times reported Dec. 30.
MassDOT provided some renderings of what the structure could look like as part of the town’s skyline during a public hearing Dec. 19 concerning the design progress.
Asked to comment by the StandardTimes, Mayor Jon Mitchell said, “The New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge is an architectural landmark, and it was designed 120 years ago with a level of thought and care that respected future generations of Greater New Bedford residents. Although the bridge must now be replaced, the new bridge likewise must reflect a high level of design.”
The New Bedford news source quoted Mitchell as saying that the region’s residents want the new structure to be “a source of pride,” and for visitors and tourists to look at the bridge and recognize that Greater New Bedford “takes pride in itself.”
But, he added, “The images recently shared by state officials reveal that the bridge’s design still has a long way to go. Recently, I spoke to state Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbetts-Nutt about the importance of the bridge’s appearance. I am grateful that she is equally committed to building a bridge whose design meets our region’s high standards.”
The proposed project also consists of reconstructing U.S. Highway 6 over the Acushnet River movable span swing bridge, MassDOT noted.
New Bedford Bridge Design Includes Two 190-Ft. Towers
Back in September, New Bedford Port Authority Director Gordon Carr sent a letter to the U.S. Coast Guard, which had been reviewing the minimum height and width clearances for navigation below the bridge. In the message, Carr wrote, “We recog-
MassDOT rendering
The “vertical lift” bridge will clear the way for passing vessels by raising the roadway straight up between a pair of 190-ft.tall towers. The bridge also will have two elevation settings — one at 80 ft. and another at 138 ft. — that will be triggered depending on the height of the vessel that needs to pass underneath.
New Structure Will Provide 260-Ft.-Wide Channel
“The New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge is an architectural landmark, and it was designed 120 years ago with a level of thought and care that respected future generations of Greater New Bedford residents.”
Jon Mitchell
New Bedford Mayor
In addition, Carr had asked that MassDOT consider raising the 138-ft.-high limit. His rationale was, according to the Standard Times, that as marine commerce evolves, changes to vessels and other infrastructure can be expected, he said, including the need for higher clearances.
During a presentation last January on the proposed vertical lift bridge’s merits, MassDOT officials said that the new structure will provide an unobstructed 260-ft.wide channel for vessels to pass, as opposed to the just-under-100-ft. channels provided on each side of the current bridge when it is swung open.
nize that the vertical lift type bridge height presents aesthetic challenges to this historic port. I look forward to being part of the local Advisory Committee to achieve a maximally functional bridge which also minimizes adverse visual impacts on the nearby historic and cultural resources. The Port Authority and the city of New Bedford expect to be an integral part of the design
development for the new bridge.”
The “vertical lift” bridge will clear the way for passing vessels by raising the roadway straight up between a pair of 190-ft.-tall towers. The bridge also will have two elevation settings — one at 80 ft. and another at 138 ft. — that will be triggered depending on the height of the vessel that needs to pass underneath.
The state transportation agency also noted that the vertical lift bridge will not take as much time to construct — meaning less disruption to vehicles and vessels — than other alternative bridges reviewed. Its engineers are working on finalizing the new bridge’s design in 25 percent installments with a goal of beginning construction in 2028, according to the New Bedford newspaper.
NEC Expands Athletic Facilities; Plans for New Center in N.H.
New England College (NEC) in Henniker, N.H., is moving ahead with the second phase of its athletic facilities expansion. Starting this spring, the private liberal arts college will overhaul and renovate Bridges Gymnasium, build new offices for the athletic department and further expand the strength lab.
Phase one of the project, completed last summer, featured a resurfaced Turf Field and equipment upgrades for the Strength Lab. These upgrades set the stage for the ambitious developments now under way.
According to a Dec. 29 Concord Monitor report, the college’s upcoming project is an even larger undertaking that aims to elevate the quality of campus life and athletics for NEC’s students, 46 percent of whom are varsity Division III athletes and an additional 4 percent who participate in club sports.
“This is more than a construction project — it’s a bold step forward,” said Wayne F. Lesperance Jr., the president of NEC. “The Athletics Center exemplifies NEC’s innovative spirit and commitment to student success, whether on the field, in the classroom or beyond. This facility will energize our campus and elevate the experience of every NEC student.”
The next phase of the Athletics Center reimagines Bridges Gymnasium with a fullscale renovation, followed by a groundbreaking in spring 2025 for a new addition. As part of the Athletics Center development, the addition to the gym will blend seamlessly with NEC’s academic architecture.
The expansion was designed by Stone River Architects and will be built by Harvey Construction, both of which are located in Bedford, N.H.
The design includes modern offices for coaches, a fitness center for all students and faculty, locker rooms, strength training areas and sports medicine rooms.
“As an alumnus and longtime board member, I’ve seen NEC embrace change and innovation to benefit its students. The Athletics Center is a monumental leap forward, and I’m thrilled to see its impact on campus life and student achievement,” said Lex Scourby, alumni, and chair of the small school’s Board of Trustees, in a press release from the college.
Manchester Board Sees Plans for New Stebbins Center
Officials with the nonprofit behind the efforts to build the Mark Stebbins Community Center (MSCC) on the west side of Manchester, N.H., went before the
city’s Planning Board Jan. 2 seeking approval for a proposed development and site plan for the project.
The 501(c)3 nonprofit is proposing to construct an approximately 19,800-sq.-ft. multipurpose social services center, a twostory community center and corresponding playground, and a parking lot.
The entire site is within a lease area on the Kelley Falls apartment complex property at 315 Kimball St. owned by the Manchester Housing & Redevelopment Authority (MHRA), according to the New Hampshire Union-Leader in a published report just before Christmas.
Once constructed, the building will be home to several nonprofit organizations that will provide multiple collaborative services under one roof.
The two-story social services center is slated to include 13,124 sq. ft. of space dedicated to youth and child services, a community center occupying approximately 1,600 sq. ft. that will offer community resources, meeting space, and a food pantry; and a 5,120-sq.-ft. outpatient health care practitioners office.
Last May, the New Hampshire Executive Council approved $1 million in funding to help cover costs associated with the community center’s construction, anticipated to begin this spring.
In the planning stages for years, the new
facility will be named for Mark Stebbins, a Manchester native and CEO of Hooksetbased PROCON, New Hampshire’s largest architectural construction firm, who died in June 2021 at age 67.
After several months of reviewing options and exploring possible sites, the MSCC Board of Directors and the Board of Commissioners for the MHRA, announced in late December that the two entities had signed a 75-year lease to build and operate the new facility at the Kelley Falls housing community, a 132-unit, low-income housing apartment complex on Kimball Street.
Some or all apartments in the Kelley Falls complex are rent-subsidized, which means rent is income-based, the Union Leader noted.
MHRA owns the land and has agreed to lease it to the Mark Stebbins Community Center for what organizers have termed a “nominal amount,” and the MSCC will then raise the funds needed to build the project.
Organizers told the Manchester news source that the local Boys & Girls Club and Amoskeag Health will provide services for youth and families on the West Side through the new center. Among them will be affordable and walkable child care, after-school care, access to affordable healthcare, community meeting space and additional support services.
In addition, the project will include a 73-
vehicle parking lot, bus drop-off for the Boys and Girls Club, van drop-off and pickup for Amoskeag Health, and connections to the existing sidewalk network within the Kelley Falls apartment complex. Other amenities include a community garden and outdoor play spaces for the Boys & Girls Club.
The first floor of the building will feature a community center with a food pantry, a resource center and meeting spaces.
The 2.5-acre lease area is within a now vacant portion of the larger, 19.6-acre property on Kimball Street. Currently there are 19 multi-family apartment buildings on the site.
In January 2023, the board of directors of the MSCC said its members voted unanimously following “several weeks of review, field research and measurements” to seek a new location for the proposed community center rather than proceed at a proposed site on Parkside Avenue and Blucher Street, near Gossler Park Elementary School and Parkside Middle School.
Community center leaders had promised that an existing community food garden and open green space would remain a part of the project if it moved forward. A review of the land determined space to be insufficient, without either scaling back the project or impacting the area’s current use.
New England College rendering
As part of the Athletics Center development at New England College in Henniker, N.H., the addition to Bridges Gymnasium will blend seamlessly with NEC’s academic architecture.
New Building to Provide Modern Housing for Harvard Students
Boston-based Shawmut Design and Construction has reached the topping-off milestone for a new sustainable mixed-use facility in the city’s Allston neighborhood that will serve the Harvard University community by providing student housing and inviting public spaces.
Located at 100 South Campus Dr., the ground level of the new facility will include 75 car parking spaces and 250 sheltered bicycle parking spaces. Additionally, plans call for tree-lined areas and numerous green spaces, fostering a biophilic environment for urban connectivity, as well as an integrated stormwater-management system.
The project is bringing 276 student residential units to the area alongside public-facing amenities — all with a focus on sustainability.
When complete, the low-rise building also will feature a plethora of natural daylight. The facade will showcase multiple windows using triple-glazed technology as well as an optimized window-to-wall ratio
and double-height glass enclosures to help maintain energy efficiency while also bridging the gap between indoor and outdoor spaces.
It is also set to achieve Living Building Challenge Certification from the International Living Future Institute, a certification program that recognizes projects that perform exceptionally in the areas of water, energy and materials use, as well as measures metrics such as equity, beauty, place, health and happiness.
The project is part of a larger transformation of 175 North Harvard Street, which includes the new home for the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), now under construction.
School Construction News noted on Jan. 13 that the project team also includes New Yorkbased Marvel Architects, with Cambridge-based NorthStar Project & Real Estate Services serving as project manager.
In a news release, Kevin Sullivan, executive vice president
of Shawmut’s New England Region, said, “We’re proud to partner with Harvard on this transformative project, delivering critical sustainable housing and public spaces. Together with the new home of the American Repertory Theater, the reimagining of 175 North Harvard Street will establish a dynamic, sustainable live-play hub for the community.”
Shawmut Also Behind New A.R.T. Construction
The new Harvard University American Repertory Theater in Allston, also built by Shawmut, began construction in March 2024 and is slated to open its doors in 2026.
The theater’s predecessor, the Loeb Drama Center, was undersized for current needs and faced age-related maintenance challenges, in contrast to the new community-integrated, highly sustainable theater complex, built to provide both entertainment and collaborative public spaces.
The David E. and Stacy L. Goel
Center for Creativity & Performance within the A.R.T. is the first project in the U.S. designed by Haworth Tompkins, a renowned London-based architecture firm. It was selected for its experience with theater, sustainable design and urban development.
The U.K. studio also designed the Goel Center to achieve Living Building Challenge core accreditation from Living Future through its sustainable and regenerative design.
The A.R.T. structure itself will minimize carbon use through the integration of laminate mass timber, recycled brick and cedar cladding. Rooftop solar panels will capture clean energy, while a green roof featuring a variety of plants will help manage stormwater and promote biodiversity.
In addition, its water and electric utilities will be derived from Harvard’s new 58,000-sq.-ft. lower-carbon District Energy Facility that was completed in 2021 and has since earned LEED
Gold certification. The A.R.T.’s West Stage will support large-scale productions while the East Stage will accommodate more intimate shows.
Technical shops and administrative offices also are due to be located throughout the building.
The new theater will also feature modern rehearsal studios, a spacious lobby and an outdoor performance yard that will host free and ticketed performances. With a focus on community, the complex will offer food and beverage services, public restrooms, meeting spaces, art installations and room rental opportunities, as well as free Wi-Fi, according to School Construction News.
Once the A.R.T. construction is complete, attention will turn to the Loeb Center, where a renovation will get under way to transition it into an additional space for theater, dance and media program students that will include private bathrooms and showers, an on-site costume shop, rehearsal spaces and aboveground dressing rooms.
Years of Debate, Study Culminate With Royal River Vote
YARMOUTH from page 1
reported recently that in addition to removing the two dams and their corresponding fishways, the town resolution also provides for monitoring and managing fish passage beyond and between the dams, revegetating and stabilizing sections of the Royal’s riverbanks and protecting against invasive species. To preserve bird and fish habitat around Gooch Island, where the East Elm Street Dam slows and diverts water to the backside of the island, the removal plan calls for somehow maintaining that flow — which could be done through leaving and redesigning a small segment of the dam. At the top of the resolution is recognition that Yarmouth occupies the traditional homeland and unceded territory of the indigenous Wabanaki people, and the significance of the Royal River watershed the Wabanaki refer to as “Westcustogo.”
Yarmouth council members and environmental advocates rejoiced during the Dec. 19 meeting when the dam removal resolution was introduced and again on Jan. 2 when it was ultimately tweaked and adopted, reflecting on the years of work that led to the moment.
“This resolution to restore the Royal River to a more natural, free flowing state is a culmination of years of study and debate,” said council member David Craig. “It’s been a long, complex, and sometimes emotional process and a productive one …”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) determined last April that removing the dams has the greatest potential to improve river habitat and restore fish access toward the headwaters of the Royal River, historic spawning grounds for sea-going fish such as alewives that have largely disappeared upstream of the dams. Since the report’s release of the report, both the town council and a town-assembled Royal River task force have been meeting with the USACE, taking public comment and crafting a resolution that aligns with the federal agency’s recommendations.
The USACE followed up with a more thorough draft environmental impact assessment in October, which affirmed removing the dams would not have adverse effects on the environment nor the town harbor at the mouth of the Royal River. Marina owners in Yarmouth Harbor have long voiced concerns about the potential presence of chemical contaminants in sediments that have
accumulated behind the dams, and the USACE’s ruling was a pivotal last step towards removal.
“Chemical concentrations in sediment samples taken at the dams were found to be very low,” according to the agency, which predicted that removal would only cause short-term increases in water turbidity [murkiness caused by floating sediment], minor riverbank erosion, and some air and noise pollution from the construction equipment needed for the demolition.
The resolution also instructs Yarmouth officials to assist local businesses in obtaining and financing “risk mitigation insurance” to support the marina owners, leaning on tax increment financing “when appropriate and available.”
The tactic is commonly used by municipalities to divert future property tax revenues to fund public projects.
Although councilors were confident in the safety of removal, Craig told The Maine Monitor that the insurance measure is key in “addressing the financial risks faced by those businesses against the very low but non-zero risk from sediment transport and sediment quality.”
The USACE estimated the total cost of the project to be around $5.7 million in its
October draft report. Should Yarmouth move ahead with the dams’ removal, the town would be liable to cover 35 percent of that cost, or $2 million, though the resolution does not make that commitment.
Yarmouth’s town councilors noted that even though a concrete funding plan is not yet in place, the town has done its due diligence and is confident in its fundraising abilities. They cited grant opportunities available through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that would provide the town with more flexibility than strictly contracting with USACE, according to the Monitor. To alleviate concerns among Yarmouth taxpayers about the costs of dam removal effort, the council added a clause at the Jan. 2 meeting that forbids the town from financing the project with property tax revenues, instead authorizing outside funding sources from government agencies, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations.
The resolution also includes assurances that Yarmouth would pursue outside funding to maintain recreation and access to the Royal River both within town limits and upstream in North Yarmouth, where the river’s flow would be reduced to historic, slightly lower levels with dam removal.
Bridge Work Abounds for Skanska, Multiple Subcontractors
from page 1
Duxbury, Lakeville, Mansfield, Plymouth and Wareham. This piece of the rehabilitation work has a price tag of $37 million.
Rob Collari is the project executive of Skanska on both projects. Bridge projects are almost always complicated, even when no additional lanes are being added. The Pilgrim Highway job has added scrutiny because it is a major route from Boston and other cities to Cape Cod. So, from JuneSeptember the traffic can be intense with people eager to start their vacations or to return home.
Skanska also faced the difficulty of a 14-month permitting period before the construction giant could begin work. The bridge work is scheduled to be completed at the end of the construction season in 2026.
Eight Bridges in Six Locations
Skanska is working with the design firm, Benesch, as well as several major subcontractors: Don Martin, paving; Saugus Construction, structural erection; J.R. Vinagro, demolition; Gemstone, painting; DeLucca Fence, railings and guardrail.
Bridge deck repair and replacement:
• Duxbury, five spans; East Street over Route 3
• Plymouth Bridge (first location) three spans; River Street over Plimoth Patuxet Highway
• Mansfield, one span; George Street over Copeland Drive
• Plymouth (second location) two spans Jordan Road over Route 3
• Lakeville, two spans; Pickens Street over Route 140
• Wareham, three spans; Charge Pond Road over Route 25
“Our job is to efficiently preserve and extend the lives of the bridges in these communities,” said Collari. “We are at about 20 percent complete with these projects and anticipate a small scope for moving utilities. As with most projects like this, we have established detours, cleared and grubbed adjacent land, began removing guard rails, sandblasted and primed the existing steel beams and removed the existing bridge decks. Later we will replace the bearings, place new concrete decks and perform a full-depth reconstruction of the roadways at the bridge approaches.”
Most of the bridges will be closed during the work with long-term detours in place. Still ahead will be the final stages of bridge work, which will include painting the existing beams and installing guardrails and barriers. In conjunction with the construction of the new bridge decks, repairs to concrete bridge abutment walls support piers are required. Finally, new curbs and sidewalks will be constructed.
In addition to the multiple designs for the different projects, Skanska needed to deploy different teams because much of the work was being done simultaneously in the different locations.
“We are trying to be efficient with the placement of our people,” said Collari. “The logistics are more challenging than the actual construction on the bridge decks. Some of the bridges had pieces of the deck spalling, so getting the repairs done is crucial.”
Skanska is currently working at three sites: East Street, in Duxbury; George Street in Mansfield; and River Street in Plymouth. George Street Bridge is the furthest along, with the sandblasting and priming of the existing steel beams completed, concrete deck removed, bearings replaced, deck forms mostly completed and reinforcing steel being installed. Skanska hopes to place this bridge deck during this winter if weather permits.
The East Street bridge is at a similar stage, but an emergency replacement of an existing waterline across the bridge has taken precedence over the installation of deck forms. The River Street bridge has had the sandblasting and priming of the existing steel beams completed but is currently awaiting the heat straightening of one of the existing steel beams before demolition of the existing deck can be performed.
see BRIDGES page 18
Workers placed 3-in. thick wood planks between the beams to provide shielding for workers and/or public below the demolition work.
Skanska rehabilitated eight bridges in six locations.
The equipment for blasting and painting is ready to remove paint from the existing beams and apply a new primer.
BRIDGES
Equipment East, LLC
61 Silva Lane Dracut, MA 01826 978-454-3320
196 Manley Street Brockton, MA 02301 508-484-5567 1474 Route 3A Bow, NH 03304 603-410-5540
www.equipmenteast.com
30 Birch Island Road Webster, MA 01570 508-949-0005
7 Harry’s Way Webster, MA 01570 508-949-0005
1608 John Fitch Blvd South Windsor, CT 06074 860-288-4600
www.barryequipment.com
164 Boston Post Road Orange, CT 06477 203-795-0591 www.fwequip.com
45 Dempsey-Greaves Lane Stillwater, ME 04489
207-827-6193
www.centralequipmentco.com
NEW ENGLAND SUPPLEMENT
Route 3 Bridge Work in Mass. to Require Multiple Key Steps
Collari said that the supply chain issues present during the pandemic have improved but are still not yet back to normal.
Route 3 Bridge
The Pilgrim Highway piece of the project is where the Skanska team’s design skills will bear the most fruit. This project is the full replacement of an existing set of bridges that carries Route 3 over Franklin Street in Duxbury, Mass. Working with the design firm, CHA, the project team has developed construction stages that enable the team to meet the project’s strict environmental requirements by building a new bridge and conserving 9,000 sq. ft. of wetlands that would have been eliminated had a preliminary concept been used.
The construction team’s work on Route 3 will require several steps and will be crucial for handling traffic and providing room for the new construction. Design was completed in October 2024, and Skanska has implemented a shift of traffic on Route 3 to create the work zone in the median for the new bridge construction.
Step 1: Shift the traffic to the outside shoulder of the current bridge, install markings and safety barriers.
Stage 2: Partial demolition of northbound and southbound Route 3.
Stage 3: Excavation and construction of abutment walls and temporary soil nail walls on Franklin Street.
Step 4: Install beams to cover Franklin Street Build bridge barriers, construct roadway approaches and barriers.
Step 5: Switch traffic onto completed Route 3 bridges and demolish old Route 3.
Step 6: Construct and backfill the remaining abutments for the new Route 3 bridge.
Step 7: Install remaining beams over Franklin Street beam, place concrete.
Step 8: Construct remaining approach slabs and bridge barriers.
Step 9: Build remaining Route 3 bridges and approaches and complete Franklin Street reconstruction.
Workers will build approximately 2,000 ft. of pavement on both the northbound and southbound approaches to the new bridges.
“Nearly one mile of asphalt road will need to be removed,” said Collari. “Much of that road will be recycled and used elsewhere in the project. We will be improving the drainage, which will retain water into catch basins and be diverted to the wetlands.”
Franklin Street, which passes under the new bridge, will require upgrades to meet current standards, including sidewalks with handicap ramps.
Of course, workers paving in Massachusetts must consider the weather.
“We will be marking the pavement during the final stages and inserting reflectors beneath the surface where snowplows will not damage them.”
Paving will be done in three passes with the final product at 9.5 in. thick. The surface will be Superpave, which is a standard interstate mix. The road will be supported with a 6-in. dense-graded gravel subgrade on 10 in. of gravel borrow. The composition of the road and subbase is required to deal with frost and ice and still provide a long-lasting highway.
The Skanska team’s work in planning and building these bridges and highways should have considerable impact for the future. Collari said, “I believe the daily commute will be considerably improved as will the safety for motorists.” CEG
(All photos courtesy of
)
BRIDGES from page 16
Workers finish with the rebar prior to the concrete pour for the George Street bridge deck.
