Boston secures permit to rebuild Long Island Bridge, Quincy plans to appeal
BOSTON - For the city of Boston, the Long Island Bridge is not just a connection, but a vital part of re-opening a recovery program shutdown some nine years ago and the center of a legal battle since.
"It is about creating an island of opportunity that will connect people to the lives and the community and pathways they deserve," said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. She has announced the city has finally secured a key permit to not only accelerate plans to rebuild the bridge, but stabilize and reconstruct 11 buildings on the Long Island campus for the modern recovery program.
"For many patients, our system is broken, there is no continuum of care," said Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu during a Zoom call with the mayor Thursday morning.
The city of Boston may own the island, but access to the bridge is through the city of Quincy, where Mayor Thomas Koch says not so fast, he plans to appeal within the required 21 days.
"At the end of the day, the argument is Boston is not being a good neighbor here," said Koch. He's been fighting the bridge reconstruction for years and will appeal, saying the traffic and environmental concerns are too great, and has long suggested a ferry to the island.
"We're right in the heart of Boston Harbor, the state's been talking about a robust ferry transportation system for some time, you've got the Coast Guard right in Boston, you've got med flight with all the best hospitals in Boston," said Koch. So far, appeals have not been successful, and Boston expects to have two final permits by the end of the year, but the Quincy appeal could pose a problem.
"It could slow down the issuance of final permits, but it wouldn't slow down the work we need to be doing to get us to break ground," said Chris Osgood, Mayor Wu's Senior Advisor for Infrastructure. It'll be four years before it's complete and Wu acknowledges the epicenter of the opioid crisis known as Mass and Cass needs immediate attention.
"We've hit a wall in terms of the crowds and the need and the scale of services that are needed," said Wu. That's a plan the city of Boston is still crafting, but hopes the bridge is the future to recovery.
Boston plans to issue a request for proposal to contract a management firm to oversee the project. After that is secured, a bid process will begin for the construction itself.