Veterans Memorial Bridge To Be Repaired by MassDOT In North Adams

For someone who drives across this bridge every day to get home, this is good news for the city of North Adams. Reconstruction of the Veterans Memorial Bridge to keep it open is just steps away, even as officials work to tear it down.

The Berkshire Eagle reports that, to make the necessary repairs to the bridge, the city council approved a temporary easement Tuesday night for property owned by the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation, allowing the state Department of Transportation to reconstruct the bridge. This follows the bridge's saddle failure (bridge supports), which were deemed structurally deficient in 2023 and were temporarily repaired last year.

Even though there have been discussions about tearing the bridge down and it is considered to be in 'dire condition,' a temporary fix won't give enough time to secure funding and carry out the study’s suggested actions.

MassDOT To Spend $20 Million For Repairs On Veterans Memorial Bridge

MassDOT is stepping in to help pay for and oversee the bridge's repairs, which are funded by the 2026 state Transportation Improvement Program, because the bridge must be kept up and traffic flowing. During construction, only one side of the bridge will be closed at a time, with traffic diverted to the open side.

When Will Repair Work on the Veterans Memorial Bridge Begin?

The repair project is scheduled to begin in either the upcoming fall or the following spring, with an expected completion time of approximately five years.