MassDOT Board Approves Contract to Replace Three Bridges Carrying Route 24 over Route 140 and South Coast Rail at Interchange 12 in Taunton

 

 

TAUNTON –  The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Board of Directors has approved the awarding of a contract worth almost $116.5 million to replace three structurally-deficient bridges and perform additional roadway and interchange improvements along Route 24 over Route 140 at Interchange 12 in Taunton.

 

 The purpose of the project is to replace three bridges:  Route 24 over Middleborough Secondary Rail Road, Route 24 over Route 140, and Route 24 over the New Bedford Mainline Rail Road.  

The project will facilitate the following bridge and highway reconstruction operations: replacing the Route 24 southbound ramp to Route 140 northbound/Industrial Drive (exit 12B); widening Route 24 to support three future travel lanes in each direction along with acceleration and deceleration lanes at interchange ramps; reconstructing interchange ramps between Routes 24 and 140 including two lane entrance ramps from Route 140; creating a new bypass lane on Route 140 southbound, between the Route 24 northbound and southbound ramps; and upgrading traffic signals and lighting.

 

 In addition, Route 140 will be widened to accommodate additional turning lanes and the Route 140 southbound bypass lane.

“This project will facilitate several key transportation improvements to this heavily-traveled area within the south coast region,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “I would like to thank state and local officials and community members for their support and input and for their future patience while traveling within this area as each piece of the project is developed.”

The project was advertised on August 8, 2020. Bids were opened on November 4, 2020, with the Cardi Corporation being named the low bidder. Construction is anticipated to take approximately six years to complete.  Two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times during construction operations.
 
To minimize construction related traffic disruptions, construction of the interchange improvements has been combined with improvements to Route 140 at Industrial Drive associated with the South Coast Rail Bridge carrying Route 24 over South Coast Rail.
 
The project is located at Interchange 12 on Route 24 at the interchange with Route 140 in Taunton. Project limits on Route 24 extend from the Hart Street overpass to a point approximately 1,500 feet south of the bridge carrying Route 24 over South Coast Rail.  

 

Work on Route 140 will begin at the existing at grade rail crossing and extend through the Stevens Street interchange.  The project includes improvements along 8,800 linear feet of Route 24 and 5,400 linear feet of Route 140.