Public works director seeks funding to evaluate Hudson Street bridge

Scott Sharper, Public works director, asked the Town of Northborough to approve funding at the upcoming town meeting for design and evaluation services for the Hudson Street bridge, a more-than-100-year-old stone arch that carries Cold Harbor Brook.

Sharper said Massachusetts Department of Transportation inspections found "significant size voids in the channel walls," as well as "voids in the cheek walls and broken foundation stones in the cheek walls." He said the inspection also found "the reinforcing steel under the sidewalk to be completely deteriorated, as well as the concrete," and that MassDOT "required us to close the sidewalk 2 years ago." Sharper added that MassDOT continues to inspect the structure and that the situation "continues to deteriorate."

The funding request covers a package of evaluation work: "destructive investigation of materials, survey, analysis for flow capacity, as well as preliminary design alternatives and cost estimates," Sharper said. The work would provide options and cost estimates for repairs or replacement and inform whether further emergency measures are necessary before the town meeting decision.

Sharper framed the request as a capital item to be placed on the upcoming town meeting warrant; he did not state specific funding sources or a dollar amount during the remarks. No motion or vote occurred during the remarks; next steps will be the town meeting decision on whether to authorize the requested design and evaluation services.