Work Starting Soon On Medford Underpass Project

MEDFORD, MA — Construction is expected to begin soon on a long-awaited project that will create a new pedestrian and bicycle connection beneath Route 28 in Wellington, closing a longstanding gap in the Mystic River shared-use path network.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation issued a Notice to Proceed for the Shared Use Path Connection at the Route 28/Wellington Underpass in May. While MassDOT's project page still lists spring 2026 as the anticipated construction start, the project has been authorized to move forward after the state awarded the construction contract earlier this year.

Once complete, the project will create a new multiuse boardwalk beneath the Fellsway/Route 28 bridge, making it easier for pedestrians and bicyclists to travel between MacDonald Park and Station Landing without crossing the busy roadway above. The new path will include overlooks, lighting, signage, asphalt pathways, and a timber boardwalk structure.

Transportation planners have long identified the Route 28 crossing as one of the largest missing links in the Mystic River Greenway. The project is intended to better connect the shared-use paths on both sides of the bridge while improving access to Wellington Station and the surrounding neighborhood.

MassDOT awarded the construction contract to MAS Building and Bridge Inc., whose low bid totaled $6,881,625. The agency currently lists approximately $8.04 million in programmed transportation funding for the project, with roughly 80 percent coming from the federal government and the remaining 20 percent provided by the state.

The Route 28 bridge is owned by MassDOT, while MacDonald Park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The project has been in development for several years. MassDOT's Project Review Committee first approved it in 2021 before the agency held a public design hearing the following year. The project reached its final design in 2024 before being advertised for construction this spring.

According to MassDOT, the underpass is consistent with several regional planning efforts, including the 2009 Mystic River Master Plan. The project has also received support from organizations including the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the Mystic River Watershed Association and Go Green Medford.

The project comes as city officials continue planning for Wellington's future.

Medford recently announced it is in the final phase of its Wellington Transformation Study, a long-range planning effort aimed at turning the neighborhood into a more resilient, livable and mixed-use district. One of the study's primary goals is improving pedestrian, bicycle, and transit connections throughout Wellington.

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