When Will The Wickford Bridge Open?

On March 18, the Wickford Bridge will have been closed for a year in Framingham.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is overseeing the $7 million bridge repair project, that has seen delay after delay.

The bridge was supposed to have re-opened in the fall of 2013, but construction of the steel bridge over the Sudbury River in Saxonville has moved into the 2014 season angering a neighborhood.

Weather permitting, the state will begin work on the bridge in March and it should re-open in April, said Framingham Engineer William Sedewitz.

He told Selectmen Tuesday night the state says it "needs 4 more weeks to finish the bridge."

"We need to stay on top" of the project, said Selectmen Chair Dennis Giombetti "And make sure 4 weeks does not turn into 8 weeks."

But bad news for Saxonville, once the Wickford Bridge is completed, the Central Street bridge will be closing.

Sedewitz said MassDOT plans to close the Central Street bridge "likely in April 2014" and it is "not scheduled to re-open until June 2015." 

"It is 14-month construction schedule," said the town engineer.

MassDOT reasons for the delay in the Wickford bridge ranged in 2013 from delays in construction of the the steel bridge beams to the asphalt plants closing in December for the season to weather issues.