Massachusetts approves $96 million Mystic River pedestrian bridge

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has unanimously approved a $78.7 million design-build contract for the Mystic River Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. The contract was awarded to Barletta Heavy Division, Inc., with construction expected to take approximately three years.

The project will create a car-free connection between the Encore Casino site in Everett and Draw Seven Park in Somerville. It is intended to link various regional trail networks, including the Mystic River Greenway, the Northern Strand Trail, and the East Coast Greenway, to downtown Boston and the MBTA.

While the $78.7 million contract is a major milestone for regional connectivity, it represents a significant increase over previous estimates. Including $17 million set aside for contingencies, engineering, and flaggers, the total budget for the bridge reaches $96 million, which is approximately 27% higher than MassDOT’s earlier $62 million projection.