MBTA Announces Opening of Newly Built Dorchester Ave Bridge September 23

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) today announced that the newly constructed Dorchester Avenue Bridge will open at 4 am Monday, September 23, 2024. The bridge, located between Von Hillern and Kemp Streets, will carry vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists over the Red Line as well as the Old Colony Commuter Rail and Cabot Yard maintenance tracks.

The sidewalks are accessible for pedestrians on both sides of the street along the new bridge.

The MBTA's Route 18 bus service will revert back to its typical routing via Dorchester Avenue between Columbia Road and Andrew station on September 25. Route 18 will no longer serve any stops on Columbia Road or Boston Street, which will continue to be served by Routes 16 and 17. No routing changes are planned for the segment of Route 18 between Ashmont station and Columbia Road at this time.

"The Dorchester Avenue Bridge Replacement Project is an example of the MBTA delivering on major projects which benefit all members of the traveling public," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. "We have a leadership team and workforce at the MBTA who have been successfully completing projects that are part of our core infrastructure and our public transportation system is getting rebuilt so that it is safer for all users."

"We are pleased to announce the completion of the Dorchester Avenue Bridge. We know how important Dorchester Avenue is to the community and I'm proud of the MBTA team that made this a priority and got it done," said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. "This new bridge enhances safety for all that use it and ensures safety of the Red Line and Commuter Rail below. This is another important step forward as we rebuild our infrastructure to give the public we serve a safe, reliable transportation system that they deserve."

The MBTA recognizes Our Lady of Czestochowa, a member of the Archdiocese of Boston, for allowing the project access to the right of way through a portion of their property.

The Dorchester Avenue Bridge Replacement project began in summer 2022. The bridge was originally erected in 1925 and was rehabilitated previously in 1975.

With a construction cost of approximately $34.5 million, the Dorchester Avenue Bridge Replacement project entailed a full replacement of the bridge, Red Line tunnel roof, and the rehabilitation of the Von Hillern Street retaining wall to maintain its structural integrity.