TIGER: Central Street Bridge over Pawtucket Canal

Central Street Bridge over Pawtucket Canal is currently under construction and will begin surface construction the week of February 1, 2021, as part of the Lowell Canal Bridges (TIGER) Program. Construction of the Lowell Canal Bridges (TIGER) Program continues as scheduled. Central Street Bridge construction has been accelerated to help address a degraded inspection rating and to leverage the decrease in traffic due to the pandemic. The new, accelerated construction schedule will shorten the project by approximately five months. Learn about the detours and traffic shifts that will occur in the downtown area and how to navigate through the construction.

The Central Street Bridge over the Pawtucket Canal is currently reduced to one-way, northbound traffic to enable the acceleration of construction. The bridge will remain closed to southbound traffic for an anticipated duration of five months. 

Pedestrian traffic will be maintained across the bridge at all times. All work is weather dependent and subject to change without notice. Appropriate signage, law enforcement details, and advanced message boards will be in place to guide drivers through the work area. Drivers who are traveling through the area should reduce speed and use caution.

The implementation timeline is as follows:

  • Full traffic implementation: February 23, 2021
  • Two-lane opening: July 2021
  • Substantial completion: December 2021
  • Full completion: May 2022

Below is the detour plan for southbound traffic:
Central St Bridge Detours
The City held a virtual public meeting to provide more information, you can watch the recorded presentation below:
A PDF version of the presentation can be found HERE

More information regarding the TIGER Central Street Bridge over the Pawtucket Canal 
accelerated construction can be found in the following documents:

Press Release
Informational Memo
MassDOT Advisory

To sign up for construction updates, email: TigerProject@LowellMa.Gov

For more information on traffic conditions, travelers are encouraged to:

  • Dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions.
  • Visit www.mass511.com, a website that provides real-time traffic and incident advisory information, and allows users to subscribe to text and email alerts for traffic conditions.