A future car-free route across the Mystic River has cleared a major contracting milestone. MassDOT’s Board of Directors approved a $78.7 million design-build contract September 23 for the pedestrian and bicycle bridge between Everett and Somerville.

The project would connect Gateway Park’s trail and the public boardwalk in Everett with Draw Seven Park in Somerville. Chelsea residents will not find the new crossing inside the city, but the nearby connection could expand the places reached through the regional walking and cycling network.

A missing river connection

The City of Everett’s September 30 announcement describes the crossing as safe and accessible and confirms the two park connections. The planned route would link the Northern Strand Trail, Mystic River Greenway and Malden River Greenway with the Somerville side of the river, opening connections toward Assembly Row and public transportation.

Those endpoints are useful context for Chelsea readers. This is not a replacement for a Chelsea street crossing or a promise of a new direct transit service. It is a bridge intended to join paths on opposite sides of the river, adding another option to a regional network people can use for recreation and travel.

The bridge project also includes lighting, wayfinding, landscaping and connections to existing shared-use paths. Those features will help people approach the crossing, find the route ahead and use the corridor as part of a longer walk or bicycle trip. Gateway Park and Draw Seven Park are the two ends of the new link.

What the contract pays for

The design-build contract went to Barletta Heavy Division, according to Streetsblog Massachusetts’ board coverage. That report says the approval was unanimous and construction is expected to take approximately three years.

The $78.7 million contract is not the full project budget. Streetsblog reports another $17 million for contingencies, flaggers and engineering, bringing the total to roughly $96 million. The contract price also came in above the state’s earlier estimate. Keeping those figures distinct helps readers understand the headline number.

A future route, not an open bridge

Contract approval moves the project into its next phase, but a construction start date has not been announced. Streetsblog reports an expected construction period of approximately three years. The opening schedule will therefore depend on when work begins and how construction proceeds. Residents planning trips should continue using existing crossings until the new route is officially opened.

For now, residents can follow design and construction updates while using existing routes. A trip from Chelsea will require reaching the Everett-side network before crossing the river. The project’s regional value comes from joining paths that currently end on opposite banks, making the parks and destinations beyond them more directly connected for people traveling on foot or by bicycle.

The milestone is nevertheless substantial: the long-planned crossing now has an approved design-build contract and an identified contractor. For readers who enjoy riverside walks or want more ways to travel by bike, the useful news is that a regional connection has moved from planning toward delivery, with the remaining schedule still to be established.