Boston bridge demolition project starts up

Work has started on a $20.6 million railroad bridge demolition project in Boston, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

Chicago-based Walsh Construction Co. has been selected as the contractor for the demolition of the Long Island Viaduct, which connects the island of that name in Boston harbor to another island (Moon Island) that then connects to the mainland.

The demolition project is expected to be completed by the end of April 2015, although the most visible aspects of the demolition may be completed by February.

The two-lane steel bridge was constructed in 1951 and closed in October of 2014 after inspectors expressed concern about its condition.

The city of Boston has issued a request for proposal for the design of a new bridge, according to the Globe. While the 1951 structure was built at a cost of $2 million, the design selection process alone for the new bridge is expected to cost $9 million and the overall project could cost up to $80 million, according to the Boston mayor’s office.

The 225-acre Long Island in Boston Harbor at one time was home to a military fort but in the 20th and 21st centuries has housed hospitals and social services facilities.