Rockland Street Bridge to Be Permanently Closed, Demolished Beginning Jan. 13

A walking bridge will be provided for pedestrians, however.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will officially begin its work on the crumbling Rockland Street Bridge beginning Jan. 13, according to a Wellesley Police alert. The bridge will be demolished throughout the week of Jan. 15, and construction of a new bridge will begin immediately. Once closed, motorists will have to use Kingsbury Street as an alternative route, the alert says. MassDOT originally scheduled to close the bridge tomorrow, but pushed the closure back a week, according to a recent alert. Here’s a portion of an earlier alert: Motorists should expect increased traffic in the area of Washington Street at State Street, and Kingsbury Street at Linden Street both in the morning and the evening commutes. There will most …

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Rockland Street Bridge Closed Today

Police will detour traffic away from the area.

The Rockland Street Bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today due to roadwork. Crews will begin work on the aging bridge, according to at Wellesley Police alert. “The nature and extent of the work will require that the bridge be closed for the day,” the alert said. Mass Department of Transportation (MassDOT) crews will begin restoring the bridge in the coming months, thus it will be sporadically closed to the public. “Eventually, the bridge itself will be closed to all traffic as it will be completely rebuilt and replaced,” the alert said. Police will be on scene diverting traffic. According to the MassDOT website, the new bridge deck will be raised 5.2 inches to provide a 17 foot 9 inch clearance over the railroad tracks. The …

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PatchCast

PatchCast: Hospital Bed Races, Old-Time Baseball, and How to Build a Bridge

A video roundup of the area's latest developments for Wednesday, July 6.

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Question of the Day: What Other Roadways Need To Be Fixed in Wellesley?

Tell us your opinion in the comments.

The Cedar Street Bridge was replaced over the course of one weekend after a two-month lead up. The MassDOT project, called a “heavy lift” because construction and replacement involved building a new bridge next to the old one and lifting it onto Cedar Street,” was a first for Wellesley and there will be similar bridge lifts in Massachusetts in the coming months. The Swellesley Report today acknowledged that the Rockland Street Bridge is next on the list of bridge projects for Wellesley. Swellesley notes the bridge is in dire need of work. There are potholes, a very sharp right turn from Linden Street and the bridge is too narrow. The MassDOT provides a list of projects in place, but what other roadways in town require work?

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Cedar Street Bridge Work Finished, Roads Open

Work on the Cedar Street Bridge finished ahead of schedule.

Roads are open at the intersection of Route 9 and Cedar Street, according to police. The Wellesley Police Department issued a statement at 12:18 p.m. announcing that work on the Cedar Street Bridge is complete. Route 9 was closed in both directions at Cedar Street this weekend as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation replaced the old bridge. Detours were going to stay in place until 10 p.m. Monday, but the work finished ahead of schedule. Editor's note: Thank you "matredsoxfan" for providing photos via your announcement.

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5 Things You Need to Know Today: July 1

Happy almost birthday, America!

1.    There will be detours where Cedar Street meets Route 9 beginning tonight at 10 p.m. We'll have a full map and diagrams posted this morning, courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. 2.    Also posted later this morning: Places to go to watch fireworks this weekend! Wellesley doesn’t have a display, but Needham and other surrounding towns do. We’ll tell you where at around 11 a.m. today. 3.    And the weather should hold up through the weekend. There’s a small chance of thunderstorms today (but in summer, when isn’t there?), according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature is set at 79 degrees. 4.    We want bloggers, and freelancer writers. If you’re interested in either, e-mail the editor today! 5…

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Updated Plan for I-95/Route 128 Discussed

Officials and residents from Wellesley, Needham and Newton gathered Wednesday night for a public hearing on the highway improvement project, tentatively set to begin in 2013.

Town officials and residents of Needham and Wellesley heard the latest plans for improving I-95/I-93/Route 128 Wednesday night, including a new interchange at Kendrick Street in Needham, wider lanes and areas designated for pedestrians and bicyclists. Representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and from agencies hired to design the plans held a public hearing at Broadmeadow Elementary School in Needham, soliciting final input about the proposed improvements to I-95/I-93/Route 128 before completing the proposal and moving into the next stage. About 30 people attended the hearing, including town officials from Needham, Wellesley and Newton and several residents. Larry Cash, project manager for MassDOT, said the …

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Gov. Patrick, Peisch Laud Cedar Street Bridge Project

The Governor and Wellesley’s state representative visited the site this afternoon.

Gov. Deval Patrick stood in the rain alongside Mass Department of Transportation (MassDOT) workers staring at the nearly complete mass of construction that hangs near Cedar Street. Patrick, along with Rep. Alice Peisch of Wellesley, Wellesley Selectman Ellen Gibbs and the MassDOT crew, were on hand to view the final stages of the innovative Cedar Street Replacement Bridge Project. Frank DePaola, acting highway administrator for MassDOT, explained in front of a throng of media presence and other onlookers, the new bridge is being built beside the structurally deficient Route 9-Cedar Street overpass, and will be slid into place over the course of July 4th weekend. “It’s a quicker way to deliver it, it’s more efficient, and it’s actually …

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