HAVERHILL — The MBTA announced it will provide free shuttle service for both inbound and outbound commuter rail riders while the downtown station is closed for up to a year.
Once in place, a van for all passengers, including those with accessibility needs, will operate on a continuous loop between Bradford and Haverhill. Passengers will see notifications and on-platform signage starting this week.
Officials said the Amtrak Downeaster would continue to make stops at the downtown station and that CSX freight trains will be allowed to pass through as well.
The MBTA issued a press release on Tuesday indicating the Haverhill station will be closed to commuter rail passengers beginning July 15 and until the summer of 2025 while replacement of the train bridge that crosses South Elm Street in Bradford takes place. Construction begins July 15.
During this time, passengers are asked to instead board and disembark at Bradford, which is about a half mile from Haverhill (about a two-minute drive or a 10-minute walk). The station features a parking lot with over 300 spaces and includes outdoor bike storage racks.
MBTA officials had notified Mayor Melinda Barrett that the replacement of the train bridge would involve stopping commuter rail trains at the Bradford station and not allowing them to proceed to the downtown station for up to a year.
Barrett said that since learning about the station’s closure almost two months ago she has been fighting to minimize the impact of this necessary work on the community.
“I organized our state delegation, Congresswoman Trahan’s office, Ward 1 Councilor Ralph Basiliere, and our public safety and highway departments to advocate for commuter rail service to continue to Haverhill station during the duration of the project and unfortunately, that wasn’t a possibility,” Barrett said. “The next best option was guaranteeing alternative service for Haverhill riders. I am glad the MBTA has agreed to my wishes to provide a shuttle service between Haverhill and Bradford Station while the bridge is being replaced. This will be especially important for traffic, safety, riders with accessibility needs, and commuting during inclement weather.”
Basiliere, a disabled Marine veteran, said he went to bat for veterans who live in various housing units run by Veterans Northeast Outreach Center and are located close to the downtown station. Both VNEOC and the train station are in Ward 1.
He told MBTA officials that many of these veterans do not drive, many of them have disabilities, and that walking to the Bradford station was not an acceptable option.
Basiliere said MBTA officials indicated that when have closed stations in the past to conduct similar work, they did not provide shuttle service.
“We are the first community they are doing that for,” Basiliere said. “I appreciate the MBTA took the time to hear our concerns and formulate an alternative plan. This was a great team effort on the part of the mayor’s office and our legislative delegation to secure services for our constituents.”
Built in 1906, the South Elm Bridge is beyond its useful life and ready to be replaced, MBTA officials said.
Using accelerated bridge construction techniques to reduce customer and traffic impacts, the MBTA will replace the nearly-120-year-old bridge with a modern single-span structure with a useful life of 75 years. The new structure will include a ballasted steel deck, which means a smoother ride for passengers. The MBTA will also perform roadway, sidewalk, and drainage improvements along South Elm Street. When construction is complete, Haverhill Line passengers will be provided with a safer, more resilient, and more reliable ride with fewer service disruptions related to the old bridge.
With an overall budget of approximately $20.3 million, the design for the South Elm Bridge Replacement Project was completed in 2022 and finalized in 2023. Construction prep work began last month and major construction will begin at the end of July.
Bridge work is anticipated to be complete by July 2025, and substantial completion of all construction is expected in the fall of 2025. The total construction contract value is approximately $14.1 million.
For more information, visit mbta.com/SouthElmBridge or connect with the T on X (the site formerly known as Twitter) @MBTA,Facebook /TheMBTA,Instagram @theMBTA, Threads @thembta, or TikTok @thembta.
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