Closure of Robert Street This Weekend for Bridge Replacement Work

Robert Street will be closed from 8 PM on June 4 to 4 AM on June 7 in support of the Roslindale Robert Street Bridge Replacement Project with traffic detours in place.

Buses will also replace Needham Commuter Rail Line trains between Forest Hills and Needham Heights after 7:30 PM on June 4.

Fun Facts and Coloring page available to download at mbta.com/RobertStBridge for this major project milestone.

Robert Street in Roslindale will be closed from 8 PM on Friday, June 4, 2021, to 4 AM on Monday, June 7, 2021, to allow crews to work around the clock to safely remove the existing MBTA Robert Street train bridge, which carries the Commuter Rail overhead, and move the new superstructure into place. During this work, Robert Street under the Commuter Rail bridge will be closed and travel will be detoured.

During the closure, signs will be in place to indicate traffic detours, which will be in place for motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists:

Pedestrians and bicyclists can use either Belgrade Avenue to the Fallon Field Walkway Tunnel and South Fairview Street to reach Robert Street, or the walkway from the Roslindale Station drop off at Belgrade Avenue to South Conway Street to reach Robert Street.
Motor vehicles can use Belgrade Avenue, West Roxbury Parkway, and South Street.

A complete detour map is available at mbta.com. Detour signs will be in place to indicate the routes. Local access on Robert Street on either side of the Commuter Rail bridge will be maintained. There will be no on-street parking along Robert Street near the bridge.

Buses will also replace Commuter Rail train service on the Needham Line between Forest Hills and Needham Heights Stations after 7:30 PM on Friday, June 4, until the end of service. Customers are reminded that there is currently no weekend Needham Line service.

During this closure, the Belgrade Ave @ Robert St and Robert St @ Belgrade Ave bus stops on Route 51 will also be closed. Signs will be in place to direct riders to the nearest stops.

The Roslindale Village Station upper parking lot will be closed. The north set of stairs leading from Robert Street to Roslindale Village Station have been closed and replaced by temporary stairs and walkways.

Fun Facts

Interested in knowing how much the new bridge weighs and other fun facts? The public is encouraged to check out Fun Facts and related Coloring pages here or within the Downloads section of the Project webpage.

More Project Information

The MBTA is replacing the bridge that carries the Needham Line over Robert Street near Roslindale Village Station. The steel bridge, which was built in 1898 and last rehabilitated in 1985, is nearing the end of its service life and will be completely replaced to meet the MBTA’s reliability and modernization needs. The project aims to provide safer, more resilient, more reliable service on the Needham Line; bring the bridge to a state of good repair; reduce maintenance costs and service impacts; and improve pedestrian and vehicle access on Robert Street.