In the News

Two railroad bridges in Springfield will be among the 15,000 sub-standard bridges in the nation that will be rebuilt and repaired thanks to funding provided by the recently passed federal infrastructure bill.

Congressman Richard Neal, chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, was joined by Mayor Domenic Sarno and Department of Public Works Superintendent Chris Cignoli on Jan. 18 to announce the bridges will be part of the effort to rejuvenate the nation’s roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.

Cignoli said over the past few weeks he and the mayor have been meeting with the Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to discuss how the money would come to the city.

Cignoli said the two railroad bridges were both ore than a 100 years-old and “structurally are not holding up.” He said the replacement of the bridges will cost approximately $40 million.

There will be a public hearing presented by MassDOT about the two bridges from 6 to 7:30 on Feb. 1 at www.mass.gov/massdot-highway-design-public-hearings.

According to MassDOT, “the proposed project consists of replacement of two bridges – the bridge carrying Armory Street over the active CSX tracks and the bridge carrying Armory Street over the abandoned railroad. The project limits are from the intersection of Genesee and Warwick streets at the north to the Taylor Street intersection at the south. Within the project, the roadway will be reconstructed. The new roadway will be wider than the existing roadway and will include a standard sidewalk on the east side and a shared-use path on the west side. The shared use path will be approximately 13 feet, 6 inches wide in order to accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchairs and strollers. During constriction, Armory Street will be directed to one travel lane carrying traffic southbound. Northbound traffic will be detoured during constriction.

Cignoli said the bridges are part of a group of 15 projects around the city that will be undertaken over the next four to five years. He added, that as part of the state’s efforts to address infrastructure needs, the Longmeadow curve of I-91 will also be addressed by MassDOT.

Neal noted the federal infrastructure funds are not a substitute for regular state and federal funding for such projects. He said the influx of the federal money is predicted to boost the nation’s Gross National Product by 1 percent.

Neal also predicted that President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation currently stalled in the Senate will be passed.

“We will be it done,” Neal asserted.