Topsfield’s Mile Brook bridge project remains on path toward summer 2027 construction

Topsfield’s planned replacement of the Perkins Row bridge over Mile Brook has reached a state design milestone and remains targeted for construction in summer 2027. The project is not yet under construction, and the available records do not establish a guaranteed start date.

MassDOT’s Project 612076 record shows a final-design status of “PS&E Received – Resub 1” as of June 2, 2026. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization has programmed $6,478,718 for the project in federal fiscal year 2027, while Topsfield still must complete local property-rights actions tied to the work.

MassDOT record shows design resubmission

MassDOT identifies the project as “Topsfield — Bridge Replacement, T-06-013, Perkins Row over Mile Brook.” The agency lists the construction start as summer 2027 and gives an estimated total contract cost of $6,181,564.85.

“PS&E” refers to plans, specifications and estimates. The June 2 entry indicates that a revised final-design package was received. It does not mean that construction has begun, a contract has been awarded or a construction start is guaranteed.

MassDOT’s record also identifies the municipality as responsible for right-of-way matters and says the project is planned to be funded through the Boston Region MPO’s 2027 Transportation Improvement Program.

Regional funding is programmed for 2027

The Boston Region MPO’s FFY 2027–31 Transportation Improvement Program lists Project 612076 in Topsfield under the bridge-off-system program. The entry assigns $6,478,718 to the project in federal fiscal year 2027.

That figure is separate from MassDOT’s $6,181,564.85 estimated total contract cost. The MPO amount is a programmed transportation-funding figure; MassDOT’s amount is the agency’s current contract-cost estimate.

Property rights remain a local requirement

Topsfield’s Finance Committee warrant record says the bridge replacement requires the town to obtain temporary construction rights and permanent rights to land abutting the bridge. It identifies two affected properties: one owned by the Town of Topsfield and the other by Massachusetts Audubon.

The Finance Committee recorded a positive recommendation and voted 7-0, with no abstentions. Its document says that failure to approve the article could defer state funding and cause the replacement not to start as scheduled.

The town’s 2026 Annual Town Meeting page identifies the bridge matter as Warrant Article 39. The Finance Committee document is labeled “Article Number: 39th,” but its recommended motion refers to “Article Thirty-Eighth as printed in the warrant.” That numbering discrepancy should be checked against the final town warrant and vote record. The reviewed records do not establish that the full Town Meeting approved the article.

What residents and commuters should expect

The town says MassDOT identified deterioration and structural concerns at the bridge in 2021, placed it on a six-month inspection cycle and urged the town to manage traffic flow. Barriers were installed along the bridge, and traffic was limited to one way.

The town’s project page says summer construction is planned to reduce traffic impacts during the school year. It does not establish a final closure plan, detour route, traffic-control plan or construction duration.

For now, the bridge replacement remains on a planned path toward summer 2027 construction. The next practical checkpoint is completion of the required local highway-layout and property-rights actions, followed by the remaining state approvals and construction-procurement steps.

Sources

Look for updates to this story

Discover more from Interactive News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.