MassDOT details I‑195 viaduct replacement in New Bedford; utility relocations, stormwater work to begin as enabling steps

Massachusetts Department of Transportation representatives told the New Bedford City Council on Feb. 27 that MassDOT’s design‑build plan to replace the I‑195 viaduct in New Bedford is approved by the DOT board and now awaits Federal Highway Administration concurrence before construction can begin.

The project, identified by MassDOT as Project 606527, covers the viaduct from County Street toward Route 18 and will include new ramps and an updated interchange. MassDOT supervising project manager Anthony Christakis said the overall timeline after final approvals is about “4 and a half years, K. 5 years,” although the team expects roughly one year of design before major construction begins. Christakis said, “Once we get 1 more signature … it’s go time.”

MassDOT, the city Department of Public Infrastructure and Eversource Energy are coordinating enabling work. Valerie Kilduff, the MassDOT design‑build project manager, said Eversource must move and temporarily reroute utilities “to enable our work” and described a phased approach in which temporary conduit is installed, the new infrastructure is constructed at the correct grade, and conduits are then reset to permanent locations. The…