Collaboration Celebrated at Longfellow Groundbreaking

Federal, state and local officials celebrated the atmosphere of collaboration that led to Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony on the long-gestating Longfellow Bridge rehabilitation project.

The famed "salt and pepper shaker" bridge, over a century old and facing major structural issues, has begun getting a $255.5 million makeover, one that will impact vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle and public transit travel between Boston and Cambridge until 2017.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary Richard Davey said the Accelerated Bridge Program in the state has allowed the number of "structurally-deficient bridges" to be reduced over the years.

The Longfellow Bridge was called "one of the signature bridges" of the program by Davey.

Davey thanked U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, who represents the areas of Boston and Cambridge on either side of the bridge, for "fighting so hard for transportation dollars in Washington."

"Anybody who knows this area at all knows how important this bridge is for the region," Capuano said. "It does everything."

Capuano acknowledged the challenges associated with the bridge work. For the next three-and-a-half years, Cambridge-bound traffic won't be allowed over the bridge, and traffic has been detoured over the Craigie Bridge.

Capuano said the state did a "fantastic job" dealing with traffic issues when that particular bridge received work.

"Thus far this job has been very good, it's been very flexible, which is the way it should be," he said. "It's going to make the necessary pain that is inflicted more manageable and more sufferable by those of us who travel and live around this area, simply because of the thoughtful way this has been approached."

Capuano added the importance of tax dollars as part of the project.

"This money doesn't happen for free, it doesn't grow on trees," he said. "It is your gas tax being put to work and being reinvested in your community to make it a more strong and viable place when we're done."

State Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Joanne Goldstein said the project will create 1,159 jobs, including 332 direct jobs and 827 indirect jobs through vendors.

"The work we are celebrating today will lead to more sustainable infrastructure and growth opportunities for the economic and social well-being of all of us in the Commonwealth," Goldstein said.

State Highway Administrator Frank DePaola thanked the numerous groups for working together to make the project happen.

"We had a couple of meetings where we had over 70 people in the room," he said. "Everybody had an opinion, but when we left the room we all had agreed on a way forward."