SAUGUS — Drivers can expect at least two more years of relying on the roughly decade-old temporary bridge over the Saugus River, as department of transportation (DOT) officials say the replacement of the Bly Bridge connecting the two communities will not be complete until March 2025.
The temporary bridge has been in use for nearly a decade now, with construction completed in 2013. Demolition of the former bridge, which connects Saugus to Lynn, began in 2021, and crews have subsequently completed the new bridge abutments and the rest pier, said Kristen Penucci, a spokeswoman for the department.
Construction is currently underway on deep foundation work to support the bridge’s new bascule pier, Penucci said. Once complete, the new bridge will be located on the “same alignment” as the original bridge, which was constructed in 1912.
As part of the project, the roadway approaches to the bridge will be reconstructed, and the new bridge will allow for northbound and southbound travel over the bridge with two vehicular lanes, bicycle accommodations and a new wider sidewalk, Penucci said.
MassDOT will also perform upgrades and signal modifications at the intersection of Route 107 and Ballard Street in town, she said.
The project is expected to cost $99.3 million, The Item previously reported.
The Bly Bridge is one of 60 bridges in Essex County that were rated as in “poor condition” in 2022, according to Federal Highway Administration data. Also on the list is the Lynn Fells Ramp that intersects with Route 1 as well as bridges in Peabody surrounding I-95.
