Author: Sarah McLellan

From ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com
July 25, 2024

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority announced that the Dorchester Avenue Bridge in Boston is under construction.

The bridge, which is located between Von Hillern and Kemp streets, was built in 1925 and rehabilitated in 1975. The steel bridge carries vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists over the Red Line, the Commuter Rail Old Colony Lines and the Cabot Yard maintenance tracks.

It is being replaced to protect its structural integrity and ensure reliable service.

Work began on the project in the summer of 2022. The budget for the project is $47,125,079 and is provided by federal formula funds and some MBTA matching funds, according to Lisa Battison, a spokesperson of the MBTA.

The lead contractor on the project is SPS New England of Salisbury, Mass., and Select Demo Services of Salem, N.H., is the demolition contractor.

“Dorchester Avenue over the MBTA Red Line, Cabot Yard Spur and Old Colony Main Line consists of replacement of the existing three-span highway bridge with a new, two-span precast reinforced concrete deck panel slab and cast in place closure pours, sidewalks and barriers, on weathering steel multi-girder superstructure,” according to SPS New England. “A new pile supported abutment will be constructed behind the existing reinforced concrete rigid frame south abutment of the south span, using drilled and driven pipe piles and a reinforced cast-in-place concrete cap.

“A new pile supported pier will be constructed between the existing granite block south abutment of the north span and the reinforced concrete rigid frame north abutment of the middle span, using drilled and driven pipe piles and a reinforced cast-in-place concrete cap,” SPS added. “The existing granite block north abutment of the north span will be reused, and a new precast reinforced concrete cap will be placed on top to support the new superstructure.”

To relocate the existing utilities from the existing Dorchester Avenue bridge, a prefabricated temporary utility bridge will be erected on a reinforced concrete foundation supported by drilled micropiles. Work also includes the rehabilitation of an existing 300-ft. long bin wall by installing soil nails and a reinforced concrete face.

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From DW White

We are thrilled to share that DWW SPS-JV, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MADOT), has officially opened the much-anticipated bridge!

This milestone marks the successful completion of a project that began on July 12, 2023, and wrapped up ahead of schedule on November 15, 2024, after 16 months of dedicated effort.

Our team worked tirelessly to ensure the bridge was constructed to the highest standards of safety, sustainability, and engineering excellence. The project not only enhances connectivity in the region but also reflects our commitment to delivering infrastructure that serves the community and supports local growth.

We extend our gratitude to MADOT, our partners, and the local community for their support throughout the project. Here’s to many years of safe travels over this incredible structure!

From New Hampshire Good Roads | Winter 2025 Issue

This project will replace the State Red List bridge (Neil R. Underwood Bridge) that carries NH 1A over the Hampton River at the inlet to Hampton Harbor.

The existing bascule bridge, constructed in 1949, replaced a wooden bridge originally constructed for trollies and cars. The bridge has been rehabilitated multiple times, most recently in 2010 and again in 2018 for emergency repairs to the bascule span mechanical system.

Click here to read the full article.

From UCANE’s Construction Outlook Magazine | April 2025 Issue

“UCANE Contractor SPS New England floats 350 feet of 20-inch ductile iron pipe across tidal river before sinking it into a trench below river bottom.”

The SPS Story
Based in Salisbury, MA, SPS New England, Inc. recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary in 2024. From a small family business, the company has steadily grown into one of the most successful and dependable public works contractors in the Northeast when it comes to highway, transit, marine, and bridge work.

The Capolupo family – siblings Wayne, Phil, and Karen started SPS with a simple philosophy…offer the customer quality workmanship at competitive prices while completing projects both on-time and safely. Company integrity was also very important from the beginning, and SPS was a sought-after employer where construction professionals and craftsmen alike knew their work would be respected and recognized by the company ownership.

In the early years SPS bid mostly on small municipal road jobs running with about 20 employees. According to company CEO Wayne Capolupo, “Much of our early work was done as subcontract work, but it wasn’t long before our expertise in building formwork and pouring concrete walls and structures was making us stand out, and we wanted to perform as a GC.”

The company’s first prequalification from MassDOT was received in 1988, which allowed them to bid up to $1.0M on road and bridge work. Throughout the 1990s the company grew at a manageable pace and could be seen doing roadwork and bridge deck rehab work throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. By 2000 SPS had grown to 50 employees and was doing a volume of about $20M per year.

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