Wamsutta Bridge
Boston – The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) recently named VHB as a winner of a 2018 Bronze Engineering Excellence Awards for work on the replacement of four bridges along the future South Coast Rail in New Bedford and Fall River, Massachusetts.
The 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards were announced at the recent ACEC/MA Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala with emcees Beth J. Larkin, PE, MBTA Assistant General Manager for Capital Delivery and Housamm (“Sam”) H. Sleiman, PE, CCM, MassPort Director of Capital Programs & Environmental Affairs.
VHB was retained by MassDOT and the MBTA to assist with the $45 million accelerated project, encompassing the replacement of four bridges along the future South Coast Rail (SCR) to improve freight service to the South Coast region and provide critical momentum for the SCR project. The project included construction of four bridges, elevated freight platform and loading docks, roadway and track upgrades. The most complex component was the replacement of the existing bridge over Route 18/Wamsutta Street/Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford. Due to short railroad closure windows, the 420-foot three-span Wamsutta bridge required the use of precast substructure elements and other accelerated bridge construction techniques.
