Moulton Discusses Hall-Whitaker Bridge, Plum Island Jetty at House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today at a Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, Congressman Moulton called attention to water-related priorities in the 6th District–including the Hall-Whitaker Bridge in Beverly, the Plum Island Jetty, and funding for shallow harbors in Gloucester, Salem, Newburyport, Lynn, Rockport, and Beverly.
The hearing in Washington focused on evaluating the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and determining priorities for the next version. WRDA is comprehensive legislation that provides for the conservation and development of water and related resources. WRDA authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct studies and construct projects to improve navigability in and over rivers and harbors and renourish beaches in the United States.
Full video can be found here (~2:45:15 time stamp). Rush excerpts from Congressman Moulton’s line of questioning are below. Please cross-check any quotes against the video before using. Please also refer to the video for full responses to the Congressman’s questions from the witnesses.
Hall-Whitaker Bridge, Beverly
- “In 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation closed the Hall-Whitaker Bridge in Beverly when an inspection revealed major deterioration. The bridge linked the critical parts of the city and carried 8,000 cars per day.”
- “The timeline for the bridge’s reconstruction is beyond comprehension – 2027 for a ‘temporary replacement’ and 2035 for a ‘final replacement. Onerous permitting requirements coupled with a complicated swing-span bridge design are to blame. I recognize that the Corps is not responsible for the bridge design. But it does serve as the federal ‘general contractor’ for the bridge rebuild, coordinating approvals from multiple federal agencies before issuing the final permit.”
- “What can the Army Corps do to expedite the permitting of the Hall Whitaker Bridge project to reconnect the Ryal Side neighborhood and downtown Beverly as soon as possible?”
- “What's framed as an embarrassment could actually be a great success story showing that we can still do big things, even small things, small bridges, expeditiously.”
Plum Island Jetty, Newburyport
"We were excited to finally see the Merrimack River dredged last year. The work was critical to improving navigation and ensuring Plum Island could be re-nourished with sand. Unfortunately, the Corps’ jetty that sits off North Point on Plum Island is creating a gyre that exacerbates beach erosion, subjecting more homes to potential flooding. The Corps is now conducting its own study of the situation. But we must make the necessary changes to the jetty as soon as possible to secure the coast and protect homes and livelihoods.”
What can the Army Corps do to expedite the review, engineering, and construction of the jetty renovations to decrease beach erosion on Plum Island?”
Shallow Harbor Funding
“Shallow draft ports greatly contribute to local economics of smaller cities and towns. My district has 10 shallow draft ports, mostly fishing hubs. We have witnessed increasing challenges in securing funding for these smaller ports. What can the Army Corps do to ensure that adequate funding is dedicated to small harbors in my district?”
This was the first hearing ahead of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s effort to draft and pass the next WRDA this Congress.