Neffinger reports action on stalled rail bridge project

Date: 7/11/2012

July 11, 2012

By G. Michael Dobbs

news@thereminder.com

WEST SPRINGFIELD — After six years of planning and discussion and eight rejected designs, the Union Street railroad bridge may finally be replaced, Mayor Gregory Neffinger said last week.

What has complicated the re-design and construction of the bridge is that CSX owns the rail line and the freight company vetoed previous designs.

"CSX is very difficult to get to the table on some of these things," Neffinger said.

At the center of the issue are the bridge re-design and the time it would take to replace it. Neffinger said officials from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) have discussed with CSX using a technique that includes building the foundations first while the old bridge is still in operation. The new bridge would be built along side it and, once completed, the old bridge would be demolished and the new one lifted into place. The installation of the new bridge would only cause about 48 hours of interruption of service, Neffinger explained.

He believes the price tag for the new bridge would be less than $20 million.

The bridge needs to be replaced in response to CSX's plan to bring rail cars with stacks of two- truck trailers, Neffinger explained. The rail yard operated by CSX in West Springfield is the company's largest in southern New England, the mayor added.

Part of the bridge project would be a reconstruction of Union Street to allow access from the rail yard to Memorial Avenue, Neffinger explained. The plan would be to direct all of the truck traffic the trailers are then hauled out of the rail yard to their destination by truck to Memorial Avenue rather than Park Street.

Memorial Avenue would also undergo a full reconstruction as part of the project, the mayor added.

"It's essential for improving the quality of life in the Merrick area," he added.

The reconstruction of another rail bridge on U.S. Route 20 is part of that plan, Neffinger said. The double stacking of trailers would begin once that bridge is completed, which could be as early as next month.

The city had originally received $1.2 million in federal funds for the re-design of the bridge six years ago, Neffinger said. He met with MassDOT officials in January to assess the status of the bridge who explained why the project had not yet started.

Neffinger then discussed the issue with Gov. Deval Patrick last month and a week after the meeting MassDOT produced the accelerated bridge plan.

"I'm happy the governor took the time to listen to my concerns," Neffinger added.

There is still no timeline for the design of the new bridge and funding for that project as well as the reconstruction of Memorial Avenue would have to be obtained, Neffinger said.