| Work Detail |
MassDOT has completed the renovation of the Gill-Montague Bridge. A brand new look for an old bridge in Franklin County. MassDOT cut the ribbon Thursday to mark the end of six years of re- construction of the Gill-Montague bridge. It’s now a smooth ride over the Connecticut River. The Gill-Montague Bridge in Turners Falls now has wider travel lanes for drivers. Bicycle accessibility was also improved. “I’m a biker and I’ve gotten a few flats on that bridge over the last few years as it was under a construction, flats from nails that sort of thing,” said John Boguslawski of Bernardson. “I road across it this morning, first time since it’s been finished, it was smooth as silk.” MassDOT also updated approaches to the bridge, as well as the steel truss supports. A new traffic signal was installed on the Gill side. This bridge is a crucial link for neighboring Franklin County communities. “We’re all small towns we all count on each other, said Richard Kuklewicz,” Chairman of Montague’s Board of Selectmen. “We sometimes need to respond to emergencies in small towns as they do in ours and having connectors available to get in and out of towns is critically important.This is a day we’ve long waited for.” Kuklewicz said the bridge will make life easier for businesses and the industrial park nearby. The bridge was first built in 1938 and is 17-hundred feet long. The entire bridge renovation project cost $48 million dollars. |
