Commuters Take Note: Tobin Construction Resumes

Work on the Tobin Bridge resumes next week, and will include day and night lane closures.

Crews will be erecting platforms preparing for sandblasting and painting on the three-year bridge rehab project.

This year's work, to continue to November, is the second of those three years, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The Tobin — also know as the Mystic River Bridge — has been carrying traffic over the Mystic River since 1950.

Beginning next week, the contractor will begin to deploy a combination of both day- and night-time lane closures that will affect both the northbound/lower deck, and the southbound/upper deck of the bridge.  

Permanent lane restrictions will begin the week of April 8. 

MassDOT has scheduled a public meeting for April 8 at 6 p.m. at Chelsea City Hall located at 500 Broadway in Chelsea (http://goo.gl/maps/xpQQF).  Motorists can stay informed by visiting the project’s website, http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TobinBridge.aspx.  

Upcoming Work Schedule, subject to change based on weather:

Week of March 25 & April 1

• The contractor will install platforms, rigging and touch-up work from last season
• Lane closures will take effect on both the northbound/lower deck and southbound/upper deck of the bridge

 Week of April 8

• The contractor will begin to set up barrels to get motorists accustomed to the lane restrictions that will reduce the roadway from three lanes to two on both decks of the bridge
• The restriction will allow the contractor to complete the installation of rigging and shielding

 Week of April 15

• The contractor will begin installing barriers along both sides of the bridge and install side shielding around the two travel lanes to provide additional safety for the public
• Work to install the shielding will continue. Shielding will be installed throughout the length of the project to limit any possible inconvenience to the public
• The contractor will begin setting up a fully encapsulating containment system inside the existing shielding providing redundancy to ensure none of the removed paint escapes

 Week of April 22

• Once the containment has been fully installed, tested and approved, the contractor may begin sandblasting off the existing paint, repairing necessary steel bridge appurtenances, and painting