Photo courtesy of Skanska
In 2023, Skanska was awarded two contracts totaling $66 million to replace the Route 3 bridge in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and eight bridge decks across Massachusetts.
The following viewpoint is written by Robert Coutts, Vice President of Operations for Skanska USA Civil Northeast
Having spent more than four decades working on heavy civil infrastructure in New England, I have come to believe that building bridges is as much about relationships and coordination as it is about engineering knowledge. Across the region, aging infrastructure has accelerated the pressure to create long-term solutions that support our rapidly growing local communities. with 6.8% of U.S. bridges currently classified as “in poor condition,” there is a growing demand for experienced construction crews that can deliver durable and resilient infrastructure while navigating the complexities of ensuring these projects do not disrupt the daily flow of travelers.
At Skanska, we’ve built a legacy in the New England region by doing just that. Our bridge and rail portfolio spans decades and includes some of the most challenging infrastructure projects in the Northeast. This work has required not only technical precision, but also constant and ongoing coordination with the main project stakeholders and local communities.
Our team is uniquely equipped to carry out the full lifecycle of these projects, including the complex structural, electrical and signal work elements that allow us to fully control the project’s quality, schedule and safety. In addition, we integrate the use of industry-leading technology, as pioneered by our nationally recognized Virtual Design and Build (VDC) group, from the proposal stage to project completion. This includes implementing advanced modeling in the pre-construction phase to identify and combat any anticipated challenges early on and improve timelines, safety planning and overall project decision-making.
When it comes to Skanska bridge construction, and more specifically mobile bridges, partnerships with specialist industry designers and builders have played a major factor in our success. As an example, take our partnership with trusted New England partners like VHB, whose deep knowledge of local bridge, track and signal work, including design and construction delivery for notable local transportation providers such as the MBTA and New England DOT, has been critical to our operations on these projects. Working with VHB, Modjeski and Masters (M&M), a national leader in complex mobile bridges, has helped us consider the specific challenges and solutions required to successfully complete a mobile bridge project. With the support of these partners, Skanska has successfully applied the necessary requirements in environments where maritime, commuter rail and highway operations converge, often under tight windows and regulatory oversight.
Technical execution, however, is only part of the story. At Skanska, we approach every job with an environmental and community-focused mindset, with a particular emphasis on coordinating with butters, managing high-traffic waterways and communicating clearly with daily travelers about the potential impacts of construction. Skanska’s work on megaprojects such as the South Coast Fall River Secondary and Longfellow Bridge reconstruction, as well as Rhode Island’s northbound Providence Viaduct and the I-95/Route 10 interchange have strengthened some of the region’s busiest corridors while minimizing disruptions in densely populated urban environments. Our work on the D5 Bridge Bundle in Massachusetts and sustainable bridge solutions in Duxbury further highlight our commitment to minimizing the impact of construction on commuters and the traveling public.
At a time when infrastructure dollars have to go further, and public trust in delivery partners is more important than ever, Skanska brings regional familiarity and specialist capabilities to successfully deliver complex bridge and rail projects. As New England invests in the next cohort of bridge and rail systems, we remain focused on what we do best: building essential infrastructure that is safe, resilient and built to last.
Robert Coutts has over 40 years experience in construction management, incl complex civil and urban highway demolition tasks in Massachusetts, including involvement with the Submerged Tube Tunnel Project and the South Coast Railroad Expansion Project.
