MassDOT Seeks Bids for $1 Billion Fall River Waterfront Transformation Project

It’s official. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has released a request to bid to develop an approximately 20-acre corridor along Route 79, the new Fall River MBTA commuter station and the Taunton River in a major $1 billion investment that is said to transform the city.

MassDOT has already spent $135 million on the Route 79 project, with highway demolition and installation of infrastructure for future development and the 20 new acres of developable land.

The deadline for submission of proposals is Oct. 21, 2026. The formal invitation to bid was published on July 24.

According to MassDOT, the state agency has established a strict set of criteria for potential developers, including that proposals must be capable of delivering a massive transit-oriented project featuring more than 1,400 housing units, mixed-use commercial space, and public amenities like entertainment venues.

MassDOT and city officials will be looking at how closely proposals match the Route 79-Davol Street Corridor Master Plan funded by the city Fall River Redevelopment Authority.

The city and FFRA officials had hoped the state would agree to sell the multi-million parcels for half the value, and legislation was even submitted by state Rep. Carole Fiola. However, it languished in committee.

MassDOT will also be looking for bidder projects that optimize the proximity of the rail station and the best way to integrate the waterfront. Plans must also comply with new zoning regulations established by the city and show an ability to invest in the estimated $1 billion project.

“We’re turning decades of planning and infrastructure investment into an opportunity to build more housing, create jobs, and reconnect Fall River with its waterfront,” saidGovernor Maura Healey in a press release.

“I want to thank the Healey/Driscoll Administration for their continuing commitment of the Route 79/ Davol Street project,” said Mayor Paul Coogan. 

“We are excited to see this transformational project at this stage as the future growth and development of these parcels on our city’s waterfront will bring close to 1 billion dollars of investment and open many new economic opportunities for the City of Fall River.”  

Back in January in a pre-bid opportunity, MassDOT said it was looking for one to three developers to take on the project.