Please note the times have been updated.
Steel erection at the site of the new South Elm Street railroad bridge will bring overnight street closings again in April.
South Elm Street beneath the bridge, between Railroad and Laurel Avenues, and the intersection of Laurel Avenue, South Elm Street and Blossom Street, will be closed to through-traffic Friday, April 4, from 5 p.m. to Saturday, April 5, at 8 a.m., and Saturday, April 5, from 5 p.m., through Sunday, April 6, at 8 a.m. Drivers will be asked to follow posted detour signs or find alternative routes.
The Joseph C. Comeau Bridge and Railroad Avenue will remain open.
As WHAV has reported, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority—or MBTA—said it plans to replace the 1906 bridge with a modern single-span structure with a useful life of 75 years. It carries Haverhill Line commuter rail, Amtrak’s Downeaster service and freight trains between the downtown Haverhill and Bradford commuter rail stations. Officials say the existing bridge is too narrow and requires speed restrictions which add to commuter travel times.
This summer, the old bridge is scheduled to be removed completely and a new one slid into its place over a single weekend.