With the age of the bridge becoming a problem, as well as the rising costs of necessary upkeep and maintenance, talk began circulating about replacing the bridge as early as the late 1970s and early 1980s. Starting in 1983, plans were put in place to replace the bridge with a new, higher and wider span upriver, which would span from a proposed flyover intersection with Route 79 on the FallRiver side, to a new access road through the former site of Slade's Ferry Park in Somerset. Plans were put on hold in 1989, when the Coast Guard protested the size of the opening of the bridge. Once details were worked out, work began in the late 1990s, but again with delays. This was due to money being taken away from the project for the well-over budget Big Dig project in Boston. Again the work was delayed until costs could be met. A third problem arose in 2008, when inspectors questioned the quality of the cement used in the main pilings for the bridge. This caused yet more delays as inspections and tests were needed on the piers. Construction has since been completed on this new bridge. The most recent controversy involving the bridge did not involve the bridge work at all, but rather involved the proposed building of a LNG terminal at Weaver's Cove, just to the north of the new bridge. In order to stop the LNG plan, community leaders pushed for keeping the bridge intact. This project has met with fierce opposition from the surrounding community, as well as federal, state and local leaders, including Representatives Jim McGovern and Barney Frank, as well as Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, all of whom have made appearances at various opposition rallies. The problems are twofold:
For one, there is the belief that LNG tankers could be targets of terrorism, as an explosion of a tanker, whether en route or in port, could cause catastrophic damage and loss of life in the community.
There is also the concern about LNG transportation requirements, which would involve the closing of not just the new bridge, but also the Braga Bridge, for several hours at a time, thus cutting off vital trade routes in the area.
All of this has led to a rather ironic campaign to keep the original bridge standing after the new one is completed. So far the campaign has been successful in keeping the old bridge standing, but whether or not it stops the LNG terminal from being built is still undetermined.
