About the Route 20 over the Connecticut River bridge replacement

The Route 20 over the Connecticut River bridge replacement project will replace the deteriorating existing bridge with a modern structure that offers multi-modal transportation to prioritize sustainable mobility options for the community.

Overview

The proposed project will replace the existing structure of the bridge on Route 20 over the Connecticut River (in Springfield and West Springfield) constructed in 1924 and rehabilitated in 1985. The new structure prioritizes multi-modal transportation for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists and incorporates lookout points to appreciate the views and activities along the Connecticut River.

Project goals

• Support mode shift and sustainability by encouraging walking and cycling as viable alternatives to driving.
• Advance public-realm quality through thoughtful landscaping.
• Maintain the character of the existing structure through re-use or replication of the monuments and rehabilitation of the landing areas.
• Consider and do not preclude future improvements adjacent to the project site.
• Develop traffic and pedestrian solutions that improve the existing conditions.
• Elevate the new structure above the 50-year flood elevation (existing structure is beneath the 50-year flood elevation).

Project components

• A new steel bridge spanning across the Connecticut River, providing more space for bicycle and pedestrian travel and maintaining the existing traffic volume
• Tie into existing Route 20 rotary
• Intersection upgrades
• Facilitate upgrades to the adjacent Route 5 underpass
• Landscaped approaches
• Drainage and environmental enhancements