Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
EVERETT, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Construction on the proposed Mystic River bicycle pedestrian bridge connecting Somerville and Everett has entered its next phase.
During a recent virtual hearing hosted by MassDot, the agency presented the bridge's 25 percent design idea connecting Assembly Row's Draw Seven Park to the Northern Strand Trail adjacent to Encore Casino in Everett. If the project is approved, contract bids will start being considered as early as next spring with construction starting in the fall. Residents have mixed feelings about the project.
"I know some people might be against it because of maybe people parking here and all the extra like the busyness but we're already pretty busy here. So I mean we'd use it, we would enjoy it," one resident stated.
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MassDot says that once the car-free bridge is complete, it will serve as a critical link in the area, enhancing access to local transportation and providing an unobstructed pathway to Encore.
"Kind of avoid traffic on the other side, so it's sort of just that this direct access to the casino so that it's a good thing. It's going to be a good scenic view, so it's going to be a good plus," one local stated.
The bridge is expected to be complete in 2029 with the projected costs totaling $60 million.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.