An Update On Pelham Island Bridge Closure

Pelham Island resident Gary Slep said in his recent Pelham Island Road bridge update that it appears the bridge will remain open throughout the rest of May.

"Although we do not have firm dates yet on the forthcoming bridge work, all sources indicate that the bridge is likely to remain open through the end of May," Slep writes in his email update. "My best forecast is for closure on or about Friday, June 1 or Monday, June 4."

According to Slep, the delay is due to utility work taking longer than expected and is specifically related to the placement of one of three new utility poles. Slep said in the email that, while the Sudbury River is "relatively low," it remains high enough to cause water problems at the site of the new pole.

To compensate for the water, Slep said, NSTAR must request and have manufactured a sleeve to protect the pole.

"As stated in earlier updates, once the pole is in place, the line utilities will be able to move their wires and cables from the existing poles to the new ones, and the bridge project can begin in earnest," Slep writes. 

He said that he expects all of that activity to occur by Memorial Day or soon thereafter.

Even with the delays, project managers remain optimistic about reopening Pelham Island Road, with the new bridge, in November of this year, Slep reports.