New Bedford, Mass., leaders accept state plans to replace New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge with a vertical lift design for shorter road closures. Mayor and officials emphasize the importance of an aesthetically pleasing new bridge to represent the region. Project includes two 190-ft. towers for passing vessels. Construction set to begin in 2028.
Rendering courtesy of MassDOT
The 'vertical lift' bridge will clear the way for passing vessels by raising the roadway straight up between a pair of 190-ft.-tall towers. The bridge also will have two elevation settings — one at 80 ft. and another at 138 ft. — that will be triggered depending on the height of the vessel that needs to pass underneath.
The more than 120-year-old New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge in Massachusetts will be going from "swing" to "vertical lift" when it is finally replaced, according to state plans.
That is, instead of opening by swinging horizontally, as it has throughout its history, a section of the bridge will be raised to allow vessels to pass underneath.
City officials had questioned the choice by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to pursue that design, but have since accepted the state agency's rationale, including that it will require shorter road closings and be less disruptive to traffic during the construction phase.
Now, however, New Bedford leaders want to make sure that the new bridge is not only fully functional but aesthetically pleasing, as befitting a structure of such prominence, the New Bedford Standard Times reported Dec. 30.
MassDOT provided some renderings of what the structure could look like as part of the town's skyline during a public hearing Dec. 19 concerning the design progress.
Asked to comment by the Standard-Times, Mayor Jon Mitchell said, "The New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge is an architectural landmark, and it was designed 120 years ago with a level of thought and care that respected future generations of Greater New Bedford residents. Although the bridge must now be replaced, the new bridge likewise must reflect a high level of design."
The New Bedford news source quoted Mitchell as saying that the region's residents want the new structure to be "a source of pride," and for visitors and tourists to look at the bridge and recognize that Greater New Bedford "takes pride in itself."
But, he added, "The images recently shared by state officials reveal that the bridge's design still has a long way to go. Recently, I spoke to state Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbetts-Nutt about the importance of the bridge's appearance. I am grateful that she is equally committed to building a bridge whose design meets our region's high standards."
The proposed project also consists of reconstructing U.S. Highway 6 over the Acushnet River movable span swing bridge, MassDOT noted.
New Bedford Bridge Design Includes Two 190-Ft. Towers
Back in September, New Bedford Port Authority Director Gordon Carr sent a letter to the U.S. Coast Guard, which had been reviewing the minimum height and width clearances for navigation below the bridge.
In the message, Carr wrote, "We recognize that the vertical lift type bridge height presents aesthetic challenges to this historic port. I look forward to being part of the local Advisory Committee to achieve a maximally functional bridge which also minimizes adverse visual impacts on the nearby historic and cultural resources. The Port Authority and the city of New Bedford expect to be an integral part of the design development for the new bridge."
The "vertical lift" bridge will clear the way for passing vessels by raising the roadway straight up between a pair of 190-ft.-tall towers. The bridge also will have two elevation settings — one at 80 ft. and another at 138 ft. — that will be triggered depending on the height of the vessel that needs to pass underneath.
New Structure Will Provide 260-Ft.-Wide Channel
In addition, Carr had asked that MassDOT consider raising the 138-ft.-high limit. His rationale was, according to the Standard Times, that as marine commerce evolves, changes to vessels and other infrastructure can be expected, he said, including the need for higher clearances.
During a presentation last January on the proposed vertical lift bridge's merits, MassDOT officials said that the new structure will provide an unobstructed 260-ft.-wide channel for vessels to pass, as opposed to the just-under-100-ft. channels provided on each side of the current bridge when it is swung open.
The state transportation agency also noted that the vertical lift bridge will not take as much time to construct — meaning less disruption to vehicles and vessels — than other alternative bridges reviewed. Its engineers are working on finalizing the new bridge's design in 25 percent installments with a goal of beginning construction in 2028, according to the New Bedford newspaper.
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