The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority awarded a $23.9 million contract to repair three bridges spanning the Merrimack River in Haverhill.
A joint venture of LM Heavy Civil Construction LLC of Quincy, Mass., and Cooperativa Muratori & Cementisti - CMC di Ravenna of Ravenna, Italy, received the contract, according to MBTA general manager Beverly Scott.
The Merrimack River, Merrimack River North Approach bridge and Washington Street bridges comprise 12 spans over roughly 1,042 feet from Bradford to Haverhill, about 35 miles north of Boston. The bridges were originally constructed between the late 1800s and 1920s.
"This contract will address the first of a two-contract construction plan to rehabilitate the superstructure of the bridges and strengthen their land piers," Ed Hunter, MBTA assistant general manager for design and construction, said in his presentation to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation board.
The MBTA is a MassDOT unit.
Construction is expected to take 36 months from the signing of the notice to proceed and is expected to begin this spring. Once work begins, buses will replace train service for a limited number of off-peak trips -- three per day -- probably beginning in April.
