Weekend work slated for General Edwards Bridge

REVERE – Motorists trying to travel across the General Edwards Bridge on Friday or Saturday night could hit some traffic backups on Route 1A, state and city officials are warning.There will be periodic drawbridge openings from 10 p.m. Friday night to 6 a.m. Saturday morning, and possibly the next night, MassHighway Spokesman Mike Verseckes said Monday.?It is likely the work will be completed on the first night,” Verseckes said. “The second night is scheduled if weather prevents us from working the first night and/or if not all measurements are taken on the first night.”The drawbridge openings will last 15 minutes or less from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and 30 minutes from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., Verseckes said.Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo said he would encourage citizens to expect delays and avoid the bridge if at all possible on Friday and Saturday night to prevent traffic problems.?With repairs like this, there?s always that inconvenience with increased traffic and delays but, at the end of the day, it?s all about keeping the infrastructure, including the bridges, safe,” Rizzo said.The $10 million MassHighway project consists of the repair and replacement of the electrical and mechanical machinery that operates the drawbridge, along with architectural repairs to the operator?s rooms and tower, granite repairs and structural steel repairs, Verseckes said.?The main focus of this project is to the bring the bridge?s mechanical and electrical equipment up to a more modern and more reliable set of standards,” Verseckes said.The entire construction project is scheduled to be completed in spring of 2014, according to Mass Highway?s website, but no other bridge openings or lane closures are currently scheduled.Revere Councilor at large John Correggio, who spoke publicly last week about the need for more signs alerting drivers to ice hazards on the bridge, said he would like to have a meeting with MassHighway to discuss the addition of signs and other precautionary measures to the project.?The main thing is the safety because there was a loss of life because of the black ice,” Correggio said. “I want a meeting to make sure that the safety issues are addressed.”Correggio said the entire Lynnway is “outdated” and in need of repairs, despite the traffic concerns such projects could cause, especially in light of the potential new traffic a proposed casino in Revere would create.?With the gaming and slots coming in, (Route 1A) needs to be reconstructed with either an overpass or an underpass, so I?d like to see future meetings,” Correggio said.Taylor Provost can be reached at [email protected].