FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — If you’re driving through Fall River you may see a new traffic pattern.
The Route 79 expressway through Fall River is set to be permanently closed on Monday as the city works to transform the area into a street-level urban boulevard.
With the highway closing from Veterans’ Memorial Bridge to the Fall River Heritage State Park, traffic will be redirected to Davol Street.
According to the city, upon the closure “the project team will begin demolition of bridges, retaining walls, and removal of the raised roadway and supporting soil.”
Drivers looking to get to I-195 and the Braga Bridge are encouraged to take Route 24.
The elevated U-turn bridge at Brightman Street will also be closed and will be demolished.
Leaders say the project will create “developable parcels of land to promote economic growth in the city,” and will also make the “corridor more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists while improving their access to the waterfront.”
Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2026.
