HOLYOKE — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) closed the Appleton Street bridge over the first level canal near Heritage State Park on Tuesday afternoon after an inspection.
Mayor Joshua A. Garcia said in a statement that an inspection team from the state found a hole that was 20 inches high and 12 inches wide in one of the bridge’s girders, or beams. The hole is the result of the gunite, or dry-mix concrete, falling off one of the beams.
“Due to the widespread deterioration of the girders that is visible and is not encased in gunite, it has been determined that the bridge be closed to all traffic,” Garcia said in a statement.
Garcia said that his office, along with the city’s Engineering Department, Department of Public Works, Police, Fire, Economic Development and Planning, and Cataldo Ambulance have met and all agencies are aware and have made changes in their emergency response routes. The city is working on final detour routes at which time the public will be notified. In the meantime, Garcia asks that drivers follow detour route signage that is already installed.
“On Thursday,” Garcia said, “MassDOT will be inspecting the bridge on Appleton Street over the second level canal at Race Street. We will immediately notify the public of any impacts on roadway access resulting from that inspection.”
The mayor said MassDOT lists these bridges for replacement in the State Transportation Improvements Program, and the city will be lobbying legislators and the commonwealth to accelerate the schedule.