By Katie Lannan
Lowell Sun
TEWSBURY, Mass. — Closed for more than two years after flood damage, a bridge connecting Tewksbury, Wilmington and Billerica will reopen at the end of this week.
The bridge was shut down in March 2010 after heavy rainstorms caused erosion in the concrete.
With deck repairs now complete, starting Friday cars will once again travel the major thoroughfare known as the Brown Street bridge in Tewksbury, the Whipple Road bridge in Billerica and the Nichols Street bridge in Wilmington.
The state Department of Transportation financed the reconstruction, though the towns remained involved, Billerica Public Works Director Abdul Alkhatib said.
Billerica, Wilmington and Tewksbury joined together to pay for the design and permitting of the bridge, which cost about $50,000.
Alkhatib said the towns also contributed around $5,000 each for the construction, with the state footing the rest of the bill.
The bridge is co-owned by Billerica and Wilmington, but Tewksbury had a vested interest in its rehabilitation, since the passage was the fastest way for firefighters to get from town center to Tewksbury’s southern portions. Wilmington Superintendent of Public Works Donald Onusseit said MassDOT “graciously took over” the project at the urging of local legislators.
“With the three communities being affected, they felt there was a regional need,” he said.
Rep. Jim Miceli, D-Wilmington, called it a tragedy that the bridge had been closed for so long.
“It’s not the Big Dig, but this is an important bridge for the three towns,” he said.
Miceli, whose district includes most of Tewksbury, said he grew frustrated after MassDOT representatives offered to expedite the construction but didn’t follow through.
In April, Miceli said he confronted transportation officials at a public hearing about the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. In response, state Transportation Secretary Rich Davey visited the bridge days later.
The state then committed $130,000 for the construction costs of the bridge, agreeing in June to fund the whole project, which was estimated at the time to cost at least $150,000.
“They assured me they’d have it done no later than Halloween,” Miceli said. “It’s a pleasant surprise to have it done ahead of time.”
Miceli said that, at busy times, the bridge closure could add a half hour to trips in Tewksbury, with drivers being forced to take roundabout routes to get to southern parts of town.
“I drive through there during the week and it’s bad, but especially on Saturdays when the soccer teams are playing,” he said. “The traffic is horrendous at Livingston Street. It’s great to have your kids playing and wonderful to see them utilizing the fields, but that bridge should never have been closed.”
Alkhatib said access to the bridge will make it easier for police and fire departments to travel to emergencies.
“I know lots of motorists use that as a shortcut as well,” he added.
In Wilmington, Onusseit said the reopening will probably not have a substantial impact on traffic patterns.
“In fact, some of the comments that we’ve had since the bridge was closed over two years ago is that people who live on Nichols Street are really enjoying not having the traffic coming through,” he said. “But it is an important link between the three communities.”
An official ribbon cutting at the bridge is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday.
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