Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.

WEST NEWBURY — The state and its contractor are reportedly collaborating on ways to speed up repairs to the Rocks Village Bridge, according to an update Friday from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The report, issued by Dan Fielding of MassDOT, confirms that the first phase of the bridge repair – adding structural elements to replace damaged parts – was substantially completed with the swing span safely swung open May 27.

The historic span that connects West Newbury to Haverhill was significantly damaged March 17 when a large truck attempted to cross the bridge.

The impact occurred midway along the bridge within a section that swings open for marine traffic. The bridge was closed for repairs, causing major headaches and frustration for commuters, area homeowners, businesses and the Pentucket and Whittier Vocational schools.

Fielding announced that the contractor used timber blocking and jacks to temporarily support the swing span of the bridge fender system. The channel is now available for use by marine traffic that normally requires the bridge to be opened.

But the span remains unavailable to pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles until the permanent repairs are completed and the bridge is returned to service.

Use of an approved jacking procedure is planned to remove the loading from the damaged components. Approval was also received for shop drawings for the new structural steel elements, allowing for creation of the components.

Manufacturing of the longer lead items begins next week. Contractors are estimating four weeks for the fabrication of the new steel components and their delivery to the site.

Hoping to expedite repairs, MassDOT brainstormed with the contractor to modify the work plan and avoid the need for environmental permits that could have delayed the start of the permanent repairs.

The department is also investigating the feasibility of removing some of the damaged components ahead of time to compress the schedule further.

MassDOT is weighing the benefits of extending work shifts during the installation of the new steel components to advance the final work phase as quickly as possible so the bridge can be safely restored to normal operations, Fielding said in the report. Construction hours are now Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The bridge is a two-lane, steel hybrid truss bridge originally constructed in 1794 and known as the Merrimack Bridge.

It has a historic hand-operated swing span built in 1883 by Boston Bridge Works. It spans the Merrimack River and is 812 feet long, with a main span of 192 feet and a 24-foot-wide roadway.

In 2013, a multiyear, $14.1 million restoration project funded through the state’s accelerated bridge program closed the structurally deficient bridge. The posted height restriction for the bridge is 12 feet 6 inches, but despite the installation of signs alerting drivers of height limits, accidents of this nature have occurred in recent years.

In 2018, a box truck lost its roof when it scraped the steel top of the bridge. In July 2019, the top cargo portion of a Mack truck transporting an empty dumpster for G. Mello Disposal struck a bridge bracing and it fell off the back of the truck, damaging the bridge, a guardrail and the road. Another bridge strike occurred in January 2020.

Select Board members recently discussed the possibility of petitioning MassDOT to permanently close the bridge to trucks. The board agreed to seek legal counsel before making the request.

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