Informational Meeting On New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is looking for public feedback as they conduct a study on the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge Corridor.

Ethan Britland, Manager of Corridor Planning for MassDOT's Office of Transportation Planning, says they are looking at several options to address concerns regarding the state of the bridge that range from repair to replacement.

"We have to look at obviously repairing the existing bridge that's considered a no build condition" says Britland, "but we are also looking at a vertical lift, a double leaf trunnion bascule which is kind of the traditional lift bridge that most people see, and then we have a rolling bascule so there's essentially three families of bridge types we're looking at."

Britland says the costs for these options range from $90 to $160 million.

Officials are also considering other options that will improve access for pedestrians and bicyclists including sidewalks and improved signage.

MassDOT will be holding a public informational meeting Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Waypoint Event Center at 185 MacArthur Drive, New Bedford.

More information about the study is also available on MassDOT's website.