Tuesday, Oct. 11th: Peabody Electric Rates to Increase – Lynn Police Officer Saves Choking Student – Bridge(s) Community Meeting in Beverly

Hi.  This is a reminder that Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials will be in Beverly next Tuesday evening from 6:30-8 PM in the Beverly High School auditorium to present information on the needed bridge replacement projects for the Hall-Whitaker Bridge and the Kernwood Bridge.  BevCam will broadcast the meeting live and record it for rebroadcast as well.  At our request, MassDOT has shared some materials ahead of next week’s meeting.  Attached are 1) part of the power point they will present, and 2) a letter explaining the Hall-Whitaker Bridge conditions that led MassDOT to determine closure of this bridge was necessary.

We (Councilor Rotondo, Senator Lovely, Representative Parisella, Congressman Moulton, the city’s Engineering team and me) have been in regular contact and discussions with MassDOT, who are determined to partner closely with the community, and we continue to have lots of questions, as we know you do.  We will continue to pursue an alternative alignment for the permanent replacement to the Hall-Whitaker Bridge, an alignment that would cross the Bass River over to meet Federal Street, also allowing for a temporary bridge in the current bridge alignment to be built and to remain open until the permanent replacement bridge opens to car traffic.

We also are and will continue to push all timelines for the design, various permitting (with state and federal agencies), and construction phases of these multiple projects.  We’ll do everything we can to get the Ryal Side and downtown neighborhoods and the whole community the best conditions and outcomes possible throughout.

Other considerations we have been and will continue to explore include heights for both permanent replacement bridges that are high enough to greatly cut down on needed bridge openings for boat traffic in the future, and in the case of the Hall-Whitaker permanent replacement bridge, advocating for a fixed span design and construction if possible.

As your local elected officials, we are committed to continuing our shared, coordinated efforts to move these projects forward, address your concerns, and mitigate and improve conditions whenever we can.  Please join us next Tuesday evening, either in person or by watching the meeting on BevCam.

Thank you,

Mayor Michael P. Cahill

Slides for 10-11 Community Meeting with MassDOT

Hall Whitaker Rehabilitation Letter from MassDOT