Everett committee hears state-funded plan for Mystic River pedestrian bridge; refers letter to transportation director

Matt Lutanzie, the city’s planning director, told the Everett City Government Operations, Public Safety and Public Service Committee on Feb. 8 that the Mystic River Bridge is a state‑funded pedestrian-and-bicycle crossing that will link Encore Boston Harbor to Assembly Row and a planned T‑station area.

“The bridge is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that connects from Encore Boston Harbor to Assembly Row,” Lutanzie said, adding the project is “about a $50,000,000 project” and that design was largely complete. He said construction is expected to start in 2025.

The committee focused its questions on where the bridge would land in Everett, who would own and maintain it, and whether the design would accommodate current and future non‑motorized devices such as scooters and strollers. Lutanzie said the bridge would land where Encore’s property meets the water at the northern terminus of the Northern Strand bike trail and that the state will own the structure. “The bridge will be 100% owned by the state,” he said, and landing points on private property would remain publicly accessible under licensing and permitting covenants.

Committee members pressed on dimensions and use. Lutanzie described the current design as a 10‑foot‑wide crossing intended for pedestrians and pedal bicycles only, and he said his understanding was that motorized scooters would not be allowed. He also acknowledged that some public commenters and neighboring cities have advocated for wider spans (12–14 feet) and that “if you make material changes to a bridge…that could have serious impacts on the weight of the bridge, the structure of the bridge,” potentially changing the project and its funding profile.

Several members raised concerns about parking, access and neighborhood impacts from increased visitors. Lutanzie said master planning for the larger area tied to the Eastern Broadway redevelopment contemplates centralized public parking and noted the Davis Companies’ Exxon site master‑planning discussions, citing the site as about 96.5 acres. He said the Eastern Broadway planning has contemplated a roughly 2,100–2,200‑space parking garage as part of that corridor’s redevelopment.

On permitting and environmental review, Lutanzie said the project has triggered state environmental review processes because of its scale and proximity to water and that neighboring municipalities submitted comments to the supplemental environmental impact filing. He urged the committee to send feedback to Jay Monti, the city’s transportation and mobility director, who Lutanzie said has an upcoming meeting with state officials about the project.

The committee voted to refer the item to the full City Council with a recommendation that the council send a letter to Jay Monti raising the committee’s questions and suggestions. The motion was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. The meeting then adjourned.

What happens next: the committee requested the city prepare feedback for Monti to raise with state project partners and recommended the full City Council consider sending an official letter.