River Street Bridge Temporary Closed/Detour Notice in Fitchburg

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APRIL 3RD & 4TH, 2025

This notice is to inform you of upcoming traffic management and detour plans related to ongoing construction work. Please review the following information carefully as it pertains to temporary access, detours, and parking impacts.

  • MassDOT’s Contractor working on the River Street Bridge near Crocker Field needs to temporarily detour traffic on Thursday April 3rd and Friday April 4th between the hours of approximately 6 am and 5 pm to install structural beams at the project site.
  • On Thursday April 3rd: The River Street Bridge will be closed to eastbound/inbound traffic. Eastbound/inbound traffic on River Street will be detoured around the project site via Sheldon Street to West Street to Main Street. River Street will remain open to local traffic up to the Dunkin Donuts. The Contractor will place a sign at the intersection of River Street and Sheldon Street indicating that businesses are open and accessible. Police details and barrels/sawhorses/cones will be used to manage local traffic and prevent interference with Contractor operations.
  • On Friday April 4th: The eastbound/inbound lane on Main Street will be closed from Caldwell Street to the roundabout. Eastbound/inbound traffic from Caldwell Street, Ashburnham Hill Road, Read Street, Westminster Hill Road, and West Street will be detoured around the project site via Sheldon Street to River Street and across the bridge to Main Street. Westbound/outbound traffic on Main Street from the roundabout to Caldwell Street will be maintained. The Contractor will place a sign at the intersection of Main Street and Caldwell Street indicating that businesses are open and accessible from the roundabout side of Main Street.
  • The roadways will reopen to normal traffic patterns each evening after the work is complete. Note the River Street Bridge will continue to be limited to one lane in the eastbound/inbound direction.
  • The outbound/westbound detour route from Main Street to Circle Street to Broad Street to River Street will remain open at all times.
  • Due to the potential for traffic congestion on West Street between Westminster Hill Road and Ashburnham Hill Road, parking will be temporarily limited for both travel lanes during the detour hours. There is currently no parking for the westbound lane, but parking is allowed for the eastbound lane. The Contractor will coordinate with the Fitchburg Police Department (FPD) to place the necessary signage and notify abutting residents on West Street of the temporary parking restrictions.
  • The Contractor will work with City staff to provide door-to-door notification to residents and businesses abutting the detours on River Street, West Street, and Main Street.