Newton-Needham Bridge Closed July 7 Until December

Newton, MA – Starting July 7, the Central Avenue and Elliot Street Bridge, which links Needham and Newton, will be closed to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

The bridge will remain closed until December for construction.

First built in 1844 and widened in 1897, the stones of the bridge's arches have shifted and cracked, reducing the acceptable load capacity of vehicles traveling on it.

According to the Newton Department of Public Works website, several changes have been proposed to rehabilitate the bridge:

• The masonry arches will be repaired by removing and replacing the soil-gravel fill over the arches with reinforced concrete.
• The foundations will be strengthened by coring concrete-filled mini-piles through the existing stone piers and abutments down to ledge.
• The north spandrel wall will be removed and reconstructed by cutting the original stones and using them as a veneer on the wall of the new concrete arch infill.

While the bridge is closed, there will be two possible detour routes:

• The southern route will detour eastbound traffic from Central Ave in Needham south onto Gould St, east onto Highland Ave, continuing east onto Needham St in Newton, north onto Oak St, and west onto Chestnut St to Elliot St. Westbound traffic will use the detour in reverse.
• The northern route will detour eastbound traffic from Central Ave in Needham north onto Cedar St, continuing north on Cedar St into Wellesley, east onto Route 9, continuing east on Route 9 into Newton, south onto Ellis St, and south onto Chestnut St to Elliot St. Westbound traffic will use the detour route in reverse except that traffic in Newton will go from Chestnut St directly to Route 9, bypassing Ellis St.

Please note that westbound truck traffic must use the southern detour route because of a low clearance bridge at the intersection of Chestnut St and Route 9 in Newton.

The 59 bus will make its regularly scheduled stops on Webster Street at Central Avenue and Chestnut Street at Elliot Street; however, bus stops on Central Avenue in Needham will be closed during construction.

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