MONTAGUE — Though initial reports from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation indicated that the General Pierce Bridge would be closed through Friday, the schedule has been extended.
The bridge will be closed completely on Thursday, May 23, and will go down to one lane on Friday, May 24, as well as from Tuesday, May 28 to Friday, May 31. The bridge will also be down to one lane on Monday, June 3 and Tuesday, June 4. These extended dates are for a bridge inspection.
In January, following an inspection, the state revoked the waivers for several local fire departments to cross the bridge, which has been an object of complaints and sub-par inspections for years. The bridge is limited to 20 tons for two-axle vehicles, 25 tons for three-axle vehicles and 36 tons for five-axle vehicles, according to MassDOT. The bridge routinely has emergency closures to fix issues.
Reach Melina Bourdeau at mbourdeau@rec order.com or 413-772-0261 ext. 263.