Drivers rolling through downtown Haverhill are getting an early taste of the long-planned Basiliere Bridge overhaul, as MassDOT crews this week shifted traffic lanes and shut down the upstream sidewalk on the PFC Ralph T. Basiliere Bridge. Haverhill Police say officers will be stationed at the bridge to direct traffic and help pedestrians as the pre-construction work ramps up on the Route 125 crossing over the Merrimack River.
In a Tuesday, April 14 update, Haverhill Police said the southbound right lane is being shifted and the northbound left lane closed between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on April 14 and April 15. The western (upstream) sidewalk is closed, with pedestrians detoured to the eastern (downstream) side. Police added that MassDOT's design-builder is starting to install safety equipment tied to repairs of the bridge's steel girders and that nearby intersections - Route 125 at Middlesex Street and at Merrimack/Water Street - will continue to operate under normal signal conditions, according to a post from Haverhill Police - Official (Facebook).
Traffic and pedestrian impacts
According to MassDOT's project page, the bridge will generally stay open during the replacement, with one travel lane maintained in each direction and a single sidewalk kept available for people on foot. Crews expect to stage as much work as possible from barges below the span to cut down on roadway closures. The agency notes that major construction operations are slated to start in the spring of 2026 and that the project is designed to boost safety, improve walking and biking connections, and benefit river conditions, according to Mass.gov.
Timeline and local response
Local reporting at WHAV said the project carries a roughly $251 million price tag and that officials described an expected six-year construction window during a recent public meeting. The City of Haverhill lists Middlesex Corporation as the contractor and gives an anticipated construction duration of approximately 6.5 years, per the city's project page.
How to stay informed
Haverhill Police advise motorists to take extra care moving through the Route 125 intersections during daytime work hours and to be ready for more pedestrians crossing the roadway as people adjust to the sidewalk detour. Residents and businesses can sign up for project alerts or contact MassDOT's Basiliere Bridge team for the latest traffic advisories through the project's information page at Mass.gov.
The bridge honors PFC Ralph T. Basiliere, a Haverhill native and the city's first Vietnam War casualty, and officials say the replacement is intended to preserve the span's historic character while updating it for decades of future use. City and state project pages provide drawings, meeting materials, and contact details for residents who want to dig deeper into what is coming to this key Merrimack River crossing.
