Study Advisory Group Meeting #6
June 24, 2015 – 4:00PM
New Bedford Public Library, New Bedford
Introductions
• MassDOT
– Ethan Britland – Project Manager
• HDR Study Team
– John Weston – HDR Team Project Manager
– Stefanie McQueen – Planning
– Jill Barrett (FHI) – Public Involvement
Agenda
•
•
•
•
Introductions
Study Purpose & Process
Short & Medium-Term Recommendations
Long-Term (Bridge) Alternatives
– Previously Reviewed Alternatives
– New Alternatives
– Alternatives Analysis/Evaluation Criteria
• Long-Term Recommendation
• Study Completion Schedule
• Next Phases
Study Purpose
• Evaluate multi-modal
transportation & associated
land use issues
• Develop potential solutions
• Recommend improvements
along the Route 6 Corridor
Study Process
MassDOT 5-Step Planning Process
Why Study the Bridge?
Key Issues/Constraints
1. Bridge Reliability/ Structural
Soundness
2. Bridge Navigational Width
3. Bridge Vertical Clearance
4. Frequency/Duration of Openings
5. Environmental Considerations
6. Bicycle/Pedestrian Conditions
Short/Medium-Term
Recommendations
• Corridor Traffic Improvements
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvements
• Variable Message/ITS Signs
– Sign Systems
– Detour Routes
Corridor Traffic Improvements
Future Conditions – 2035 with Improvements
Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvements
New Bedford Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvements
Variable Message/ITS Signs
Existing & Proposed ITS Signs
Long-Term (Bridge) Alternatives
Previously Reviewed:
Primary Concern:
Alternative 1
Vertical-Lift Bridge (110-135 ft.)
Height Constraint
Alternative 2
Double-Leaf Bascule Bridge
Construction Duration
Alternative 2W Wide Double-Leaf Bascule Bridge
Alternative 3
Construction Duration
Single-Leaf Rolling Bascule Bridge Long-term Reliability
Alternative 3W Double-Leaf Rolling Bascule Bridge Long-term Reliability
No Build
Repair Existing Swing Bridge
Navigational Constraint
New Alternatives Considered:
Alternative 1T Taller Vertical-Lift Bridge (150 ft.)
Alternative 3D Double-Leaf Dutch-Style Bascule Bridge
Alt 1T – Taller Vertical Lift Bridge
•
•
•
•
Two towers – 200 ft. high
Navigational channel width – up to 270 ft.
Air draft – 150 ft.
Construction Duration – 33 months
– Roadway Closures – one time, 2 weeks (Month 28)
– Navigational Closures – 1 long weekend (Month 28)
• Estimated Capital Cost - $100-130 million
Alt 3D – Double-Leaf Dutch-Style Bascule Bridge
• Counter-weight located above roadway surface; bridge
deck lifted using a pivot point (heel trunnion)
• Navigational channel width – 200 ft.
• Air draft – unlimited
• Construction Duration – 26 months
– Roadway Closures – three months (Months 18-20)
– Navigational Closures – 1 long weekend (Month 21); West Channel
closed for two months (Months 19-20)
• Estimated Capital Cost - $100-125 million
Alternatives Analysis/Evaluation Criteria
• Evaluation Criteria:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Bridge Operations (i.e., vertical clearance, number of openings)
Transportation Impacts (i.e., vehicle delay, connectivity)
Safety (i.e., emergency vehicle access, navigation safety)
Economic Development (i.e., shipper cost savings)
Environment (i.e., coastal or wetland resource impacts)
Community (i.e., open space or cultural resource impacts)
Alternative Feasibility (i.e., costs, construction duration)
• Rating System:
Alternative Comparison Matrix
Alternative 1:
Vertical Lift Bridge
(Rating)
Alternative 1T:
Vertical Lift Bridge
(Rating)
Alternative 2:
Double-Leaf Bascule
Bridge (Rating)
Alternative 2W:
Double-Leaf Bascule
Bridge (Rating)
110-135 feet
○
150 feet
○
Unlimited
●
Unlimited
●
270 feet
●
270 feet
●
150 feet
◒
220 feet
●
Greatly Improved
●
Greatly Improved
●
Moderately Improved
◒
Greatly Improved
●
Visual impacts
Some Impact
○
Some Impact
○
No Impact
●
No Impact
●
Long-Term Reliability Risk
Medium Risk
◒
Medium Risk
◒
Medium Risk
◒
Medium Risk
◒
$90-$120 Million
○
$100-$130 Million
○
$85-$100 Million
◒
$130-$160 Million
○
Annual operating and maintenance
costs
$490,000
◒
$490,000
◒
$490,000
◒
$490,000
◒
Construction duration
33 months
○
33 months
○
37 months
○
37 months
○
2 wk road closure
●
2 wk road closure
●
24 mth road closure
○
24 mth road closure
○
Significant access impacts
○
Significant access impacts
○
Significant access impacts
○
Significant access impacts
○
Evaluation Criteria
Feet of vertical clearance
(vessel height)
Feet of horizontal clearance (vessel
width)
Impact to safe navigation
Capital costs
Construction phase impacts to
vehicular traffic
Construction phase indirect impacts
to abutting businesses
Red Cell = primary difference among alternatives
Yellow Cell = secondary difference among alternatives
Alternative Comparison Matrix (cont.)
No-Build:
Repair Existing Swing
Bridge
Alternative 3:
Single-Leaf Rolling
Bascule Bridge (Rating)
Alternative 3W: DoubleLeaf Rolling Bascule
Bridge (Rating)
Alternative 3D: DoubleLeaf Dutch-Style
Bascule Bridge (Rating)
Unlimited
●
Unlimited
●
Unlimited
●
Unlimited
●
95 feet
○
150 feet
◒
220 feet
●
200 feet
●
Impact to safe navigation
N/A
Moderately Improved
◒
Greatly Improved
●
Greatly Improved
●
Visual impacts
N/A
Limited Impact
◒
Limited Impact
◒
Limited Impact
◒
Medium Risk
◒
High Risk
○
High Risk
○
TBD
Capital costs
$45 Million
●
$50-$70 Million
●
$90-$110 Million
◒
$100-$125 Million
◒
Annual operating and maintenance
costs
$400,000
●
$400,000
●
$490,000
◒
$490,000
◒
Construction duration
18 months
●
26 months
◒
26 months
◒
26 months
◒
2 wk road closure
●
3 mth road closure
◒
3 mth road closure
◒
3 mth road closure
◒
Minor-Moderate access
Impacts
●
Moderate access impacts
◒
Moderate access impacts
◒
Moderate access impacts
◒
Evaluation Criteria
Feet of vertical clearance
(vessel height)
Feet of horizontal clearance (vessel
width)
Long-Term Reliability Risk
Construction phase impacts to
vehicular traffic
Construction phase indirect impacts
to abutting businesses
Red Cell = primary difference among alternatives
Yellow Cell = secondary difference among alternatives
Long-Term Alternative Recommendation
• Advance two bridge-type alternatives forward into
Preliminary Design:
– Taller Vertical Lift Bridge (150 ft.)
– Double-Leaf Dutch-Style Bascule Bridge
• Preliminary Design would include:
– Bridge Type Study – after collecting site specific details
(site survey, geotechnical data, force and load criteria)
assess design feasibility of each bridge type and
respective costs.
– US Coast Guard Navigation Evaluation – determine the
ability of the proposed bridge to meet current and future
navigational needs with regards to horizontal and vertical
clearances.
Study Completion Schedule
End of July
Release Draft Corridor Study Report
for Public Comment
August
30-day Public Review Period
September
Issue Final Corridor Study Report
Next Phases (Long-Term Recommendation)
MassDOT Highway Division Project Development
& Design Guide Process
Project Phase
Step 1 – Identify Problem/Need/Opportunity*
Step 2 – Planning*
Duration
1-3 months
3-24+ months
Step 3 – Project Initiation
1-4 months
Step 4 – Design, Environmental & Right-of-Way
48+ months
Step 5 – Programming (Funding)
3-12+ months
Step 6 – Procurement
6-12 months
Step 7 – Construction
3-60+ months
* Completed as part of this study
Next Phases
(Short/Medium-Term Recommendations)
• Several ongoing projects are nearing completion:
– Bridge roadway construction - Fall 2015
– “Octopus Intersection” pedestrian improvements - Fall
2015
• MassDOT ITS project to replace existing signs is
underway
• Signal timing improvements can be addressed once
roadway construction is complete and traffic normalizes
• Other pedestrian/bicycle improvements could be
completed as part of Whale’s Tooth Station project,
long-term bridge improvement project, or separately
once bridge construction is complete
Questions?
Study information can be found on the study website:
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/newbedfordstudy
Comments and feedback can be emailed to:
jbarrett@fhiplan.com