METHUEN – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing the completion of the bridge repairs on the Howe Street Bridge over Route 213 in Methuen.
On Wednesday, July 10, 2019, a truck towing an excavator on a trailer was traveling on Route 213 eastbound. The over-height arm of the excavator struck the bridge damaging the pre-stressed concrete fascia beam and the next two interior beams. Emergency repairs were made to allow traffic to safely travel through the area.
Since then, a permanent repair design was developed and all work, including the installation of new beams; reconstruction and paving of the bridge deck; and lane markings have been completed.
“I want to thank the MassDOT crews and staff for their response to the initial bridge strike and for rapidly implementing the design and completing these comprehensive repairs,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “We appreciated the patience of the public while the traffic restrictions for the work were in place and are glad to have worked so closely with the City of Methuen to complete these emergency repairs.
“The City of Methuen truly appreciates the collaboration and efficiency displayed by both MassDOT and NEL in accelerating the repair work for the Howe Street Bridge,” said City of Methuen Mayor Neil Perry. “We were able to minimize the timeline and the impact to the citizens of Methuen by expanding the initial repair plan, and appreciated the regular weekly communication and updates from MassDOT.”
Repair work started Sunday, March 15, 2020, with the full implementation of an approved traffic management plan. All repair work and final project cleanup were completed on Friday, June 5, 2020.
