MassDOT contractor to build temporary Hall Whitaker bridge; opening planned July 28, 2027

MassDOT and its contractor MAS Building and Bridge provided construction and schedule details for a temporary Hall Whitaker bridge at a Beverly City public meeting. MassDOT project manager Rob Antico and resident engineer Lucas Perkins said the department issued notice to proceed and the contractor plans to open the temporary bridge to vehicular traffic by July 28, 2027.

The briefing emphasized the schedule and community impacts. Scott Mercier, project manager for MAS Building and Bridge, described a sequence of work that includes piling work, structural erection and approach construction. He told the meeting that piling work on the west abutment is expected to run from roughly November through April, followed by east-side foundation work from about May to July. Sections of the temporary span are to be erected and slid across the river in late 2026 into early 2027, with approaches and utility work following before the target summer 2027 opening.

The contractor's winning bid for the temporary bridge contract was $21,900,000, about $6 million below the office estimate, Lucas Perkins said. The project team said overhead utility relocations began in 2024 to clear work areas and that the notice to proceed occurred on July 28 (date provided in the presentation). The project team said demolition of the existing Hall Whitaker would follow the temporary bridge opening and that demolition is scheduled to run roughly October 2027 through January 2028.

The department warned marine users that the existing swing span will remain fixed and closed to bridge openings beginning Oct. 27, 2025; vessels that require the bridge to open should plan accordingly, Perkins said. MassDOT and the contractor said the temporary bridge contract includes a Coast Guard permit that allowed the temporary span to be fixed for construction and demolition operations.

Resident impacts and mitigation measures were discussed in detail. The project team said pedestrian and bicycle access will be maintained at all times. The contractor said it expects a noticeable increase in truck and heavy-equipment traffic near both east and west approaches as concrete, piles and other materials are delivered; MassDOT and the contractor said they plan to limit noisy operations to daytime shifts and coordinate deliveries and traffic control with local police and city staff.

Community outreach and coordination were described as ongoing. Perkins said MassDOT and the contractor will meet regularly with city officials and post weekly construction updates; the project email for questions provided in the presentation was mass.majorprojects@dot.state.ma.us and updates will be posted on the City of Beverly website. Dan Fielding of MassDOT government affairs said the department's standard practice is to post frequent updates online, and to route individual complaints from city officials to MassDOT staff for response.

Technical and demolition details were addressed. The contractor said the temporary span will be supported on hollow pipe piles that can be vibrated out when the temporary bridge is removed; any foundation elements that cannot be removed will be cut off well below the mud line. For demolition of the existing bridge and other in-water work, the project team said they intend to avoid full channel closures and will coordinate required intermittent closures with the U.S. Coast Guard.

No formal votes or new approvals were taken at the meeting. The presentation and question-and-answer session focused on schedule, construction staging, marine notifications and neighborhood impacts.

For more information and to sign up for updates, the project team asked residents to use the project email and the City of Beverly website; MassDOT and the contractor said they will also maintain regular meetings with city staff and the state delegation.