Haverhill Bridge Replacement

A project that has re-established reliable connection for motorists traveling the busy Interstate 495, the Haverhill Bridge Replacement’s fast, safe and successful delivery was made possible via a complex design-delivery schedule and close collaboration.

As engineer-of-record to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and lead designer on the design-build bridge replacement, HNTB oversaw project’s environmental, bridge, geotechnical, roadway, drainage, utilities and traffic components. The firm also collaborated with client and contractor to provide construction phase service support.

Schedule Management Complexity

The Haverhill Bridge Replacement project was defined by strict in-water work restrictions. Environmental permits allowed only 104 days for any in-water construction work to be completed. This meant that if this work was not complete by a deadline of March 1st each year, construction would be halted until the following November.

With these restrictions in mind, HNTB worked to ensure that the client’s goal timeline would still be met. The firm developed an aggressive design schedule that included in-depth coordination with all partners and stakeholders throughout the entirety of the project.  Under this scheduling, the design-build project team successfully met every in-water window deadline.

Close Collaboration Keeps Traffic Open

The two bridges were replaced without any inconvenience to the traffic or surrounding community. The design-build team’s unique traffic plan included median crossovers and real-time traffic management (RTTM) systems, which kept motorists notified, improved awareness and monitored traffic patterns. With these plans and an innovative delivery in place, the project maintained three full lanes of traffic during all three bridge construction phases.