Chelsea Street Bridge to Reopen May 12

The new bridge carrying Chelsea Street over the Chelsea Creek at the Boston/Chelsea line is scheduled to reopen to traffic on Saturday, May 12. 

Construction crews are completing the last of the major work items necessary to allow the opening of the new bridge.  On March 15th, MassDOT projected the bridge would be ready for reopening in late April.  As final work continued, crews encountered unforeseen conditions associated with the complex underwater operations.  In addition, the schedule for the related channel dredging work being completed by the Army Corp of Engineers was delayed by the need to remove an abandoned sewer line beneath the bottom of the channel.

Final work items will continue after the bridge is opened to traffic on May 12, requiring overnight closures during May and early June that will not affect weekday commuter traffic.  Additional work will be completed during the day after the morning commute with at least one lane of traffic open in each direction. 

The historic $125.3 million project will improve the efficiency and operation of the bridge for vehicle traffic and for critical maritime vessels to safely navigate the channel.

MassDOT appreciates the continued patience that those affected by the closure of the bridge and the construction activities have shown throughout the duration of the project.

Comments

[Mike Mahoney]

Is there a schedule somewhere for when it is going up and down? Sat there for 15 minutes this morning and if I knew I would have avoided the area.

[Donna DiGianfelice]

It is now May 15, 2012 and the bridge is not open. When is it going to reopen It was supposed to take 6 months and it will be one year June 1st. Typical politcal projects.
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The bridge opened to traffic on May 12. Some non-peak hour lane restrictions remain through June to allow final completion of the work.

[Kevin Durkin]

After suffering for a year during the construction I heard the opening was delayed a week due to conflicts in the schedules of the various dignitaries who are to be present at opening. GET A CLUE!!! This job has already cost us approximately $1500.00 additional a week in operating costs.
WHERE IS OUR BAILOUT???
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The traffic open date of May 12 is determined by necessary on-site work completion and is unrelated to the schedules of any non-construction related personnel.

[Folsom Taxi]

When nn March 15th, MassDOT projected the bridge would be ready for reopening.

[david rudolph]

what makes the chelsea street bridge"historic", the 125 million spent on it?
we should commemorate it with a Proper name.