Construction will start this month on the long-awaited replacement of a rail drawbridge that crosses the Charles River outside North Station, a $1.06 billion project that’s scheduled to last through 2032 — all without interrupting train service.
A joint venture led by Swedish construction giant Skanska will replace the two nearly century-old bascule bridges and 1.5 miles of train tracks, along with adding a station platform and two train tracks to the 10 already operating out of North Station.
“By leveraging innovative design and construction solutions, our team will deliver a future-ready rail network while maintaining uninterrupted service for the passengers who rely on it every day,” said Paul Pedini, senior vice president of Skanska USA Civil, in a statement.
The project will also replace the control tower where crews manage 200 daily train trips and access for water traffic on the Charles River beneath the bridge. Some 11 million riders on MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains pass over the bridges each year.
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There will be “temporary disruptions” to MBTA and Amtrak service on weekends, when train traffic is “less aggressive” than during the work week, said Karl Eckstrom, the MBTA’s deputy chief of structures overseeing the Draw One Bridge replacement project, at a January 2025 hearing on the project.
That will allow operations to maintain a relatively normal pace, “with some of the bridge tracks being constricted during the weekend,” Eckstrom said at that 2025 meeting.
