Traffic and construction updates - Basiliere Bridge project - Haverhill

Project status and construction and traffic management updates

Status

Beginning on Monday, December 8^th, a drilling subcontractor associated with MassDOT’s design-builder, Middlesex-Transystems, for the construction of the new Basiliere Bridge will be present in the area around the bridge, both in the land and on the water to perform exploratory borings to support final design of the bridge. These subsurface investigations are among multiple early action steps which will be performed before major operations begin. This operation will begin at the bridge’s southern end in the vicinity of the Bradford Rail Trail. Cyclists and pedestrians will not be detoured but may be briefly asked to pause to allow for the safe passage of equipment across the trail. Cyclists traveling on the trail are asked to reduce speed and watch for construction personnel. Once completed in the vicinity of the rail trail, the test boring operation and test pit excavations will move to Wall Street under the bridge’s northern approach adjacent to the Atherton Apartments.

The next phase of subsurface investigations will begin on Monday, December 15^th at the intersection of Merrimack Street, Water Street and State Route 125. This operation will be conducted outside of peak hours, between 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM, and under the direction of a police detail. To create a safe work zone for the subsurface investigations, the right lane of southbound Route 125 will be temporarily closed through the intersection, but all turning movements will be allowed as normal. This will be followed by a temporary closure of the right turn lane from the northbound Route 125 approach. Test borings in the intersection are anticipated to be completed by Friday, December 19^th.

The test pit and boring operations on land will be followed by investigations of the riverbed performed from a barge. Work hours for this operation will be Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM.

Major construction operations are still several months away. A public information meeting detailing construction impacts will be provided thirty days in advance of major operations.