Massachusetts DOT looking to replace damaged or missing fenders on Charles Braga Bridge in Fall River, Somerset with $6.2 million project

A Virtual Design Public Hearing will be hosted on the MassDOT website to present the design for the proposed Fall River – Somerset – Fender System Repairs, F-02-058=S-16-008, I-195 over the Taunton River (Braga Bridge) project in Fall River, & Somerset, MA.

The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Fall River – Somerset – Fender System Repairs, F-02-058=S-16-008, I-195 over the Taunton River (Braga Bridge) project. All views and comments submitted in response to the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.

The proposed project consists of designing and installing new fender system elements to replace the existing damaged or missing fenders. All work for this project is within the channel with no impacts to roadway users or changes to the roadway.

A secure right-of-way is necessary for this project. Acquisitions in fee and permanent or temporary easements may be required. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is responsible for acquiring all needed rights in private or public lands. MassDOT’s policy concerning land acquisitions will be presented in the hearing.

The $6.2 million contract work is expected to begin in Spring of 2025.

Fender systems are designed to absorb the impact of a ship colliding with the bridge.

Project inquiries, written statements and other exhibits regarding the proposed undertaking may be submitted to Alyson Bedard, P.E., Bridge Preservation Engineer, via e-mail to BridgePreservationProjects@dot.state.ma.us or via US Mail to Suite 7110, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Bridge Preservation Unit, Project File No. 612882. Statements and exhibits intended for inclusion in the hearing transcript must be emailed or postmarked no later than 10 business days after the hearing is hosted.

This hearing is accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (e.g interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, live captioning, videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact MassDOT’s Chief Diversity and Civil Rights Officer by phone (857-368-8580), TTD/TTY at (857) 266-0603, fax (857) 368-0602 or by email (MassDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as possible and prior to the hearing, and for more difficult to arrange services including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten business days before the hearing. 

The hearing will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

To register for the Zoom hearing, click here.