History

Planning began in the early 1950s for a new bridge to ease the congestion of the nearby Slade's Ferry and Brightman Street Bridges, as well as to carry the proposed Cape Cod Expressway over the Taunton River. The original plan called for a "high level bridge" to be located much further north, near what is now the Veterans Memorial Bridge, with a highway passing through the north end of the city in a direct line to Wareham.^[3] In 1959, the role of the new bridge was changed to carrying the new Interstate 195 over the Taunton River, connecting Providence and New Bedford. Construction of the bridge started in 1959 and finished in the spring of 1966. The bridge was named after Charles M. Braga, a Fall River native of Portuguese American descent who was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Specifications

With a total span of 5,780 feet (1,760 m), and standing 135 feet (41 m) over high water in the Taunton River, the Braga Bridge easily accommodates the high-traffic shipping lane in the river. It is approximately 101 feet (31 m) wide, enough for six lanes of traffic.

Recent history

As the Braga Bridge approached its 25th anniversary in 1989, the Massachusetts Department of Public Works (MassDPW) undertook a comprehensive two-year rehabilitation of the span and approaches. The project included the replacement of the existing deck with a new lightweight deck overlaid with bituminous concrete. Construction crews repaired and repainted structural steel along the length of the mile-long span, a new concrete Jersey barrier was built in the center median, and "suicide fences" were built along the span.

In 2003, the Massachusetts Highway Department began what was to be a three-year, $9 million rehabilitation of the Braga Bridge. The new top concrete layer of roadway was given a latex additive that resists water seepage to reduce cracking. Originally scheduled for completion in 2005, the end of the project was first re-scheduled for 2006 because of delays associated with the nearby Government Center project along I-195 in Fall River.

In the late summer of 2009, a vote was held for the public to decide on a new color for the bridge. Over 7,000 votes were cast, with voters choosing a dark blue color over lime green (the original color), light blue, and silver.^[4] The work began on the new paint job April 11, 2010, and was originally scheduled for completion in June 2011. The estimated cost for the project is $13.3 million.^[5] As of mid-2012, the project is nearing completion.

Sumber :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_M._Braga_Jr._Memorial_Bridge