AGAWAM/WEST SPRINGFIELD – Residents who are waiting for warning signs to be installed by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge will be waiting at least one more month, according to Agawam Mayor William Sapelli and West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge (also known as the Strathmore Bridge,) connecting the towns of Agawam and West Springfield has recently seen increased traffic in the wake of the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge construction project. The Vietnam Veterans Bridge is an alternate route to the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge, but is often blocked by CSX freight trains throughout the day for up to 40 minutes per stop. The Morgan-Sullivan Bridge construction project is set to take an estimated three years to complete.

The freight train stops have impacted travel for residents. Drivers can be seen making U-turns at the road. A Facebook group called “Agawam/West Side Train Crossing – Train or No Train” has also been utilized by residents, serving as a platform for drivers to post when they are waiting in train traffic.

Signs warning drivers when there is currently a train halting traffic flow are set to be installed at least one half mile in both directions from the bridge.

At the West of the River Chamber Mayoral Breakfast event hosted by Crestview Country Club on Feb. 28, Sapelli said that the signs were guaranteed by April 1. Sapelli referenced a conference call he had with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation earlier in the year.

“In this conference call, there was a gentleman we’ve been dealing with who is pretty positive and pretty aggressive and a person I trust because they follow through. He told me by April 1, we are going to at least have temporary signs. He said what’s holding them up is concrete bases in this weather. He said we need the concrete bases to do it right. He said we will at least get temporary [signs] until the weather breaks on April 1,” Sapelli said at the event.

The initial plan was to install temporary signs until the weather no longer impacted construction of permanent signs. At the Mayoral Breakfast event, Sapelli also explained that the signs would be installed and paid for by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the town of Agawam would be responsible for maintaining them.

Although this was the previous plan, Sapelli told Reminder Publishing that it would make more sense for the towns to wait and install permanent signs.  “They awarded the bid. By the time they get the bids in, it will be about 10 weeks. That’s quite a bit of money to spend for temporary signs. If the permanent signs will be good to go, then we can wait for them,” Sapelli explained.

Sapelli continued, “We are going to have the signs by the end of May. They will be all set to go. They’re going to be installing the concrete bases as soon as the weather breaks. We won’t have to deal with temporary signs.”

Sapelli said he is hopeful that the implementation of permanent signs will increase safety for travelers utilizing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge direction. “It’ll take a little bit of anxiety away. There’s nothing worse than getting to the Veteran’s Bridge and seeing a train. It will improve the driver’s time by letting them know. I think it just shows the community that the Department of Transportation and the town are working together and really do care. They are trying to do as much as they can to make it better,” Sapelli said.

Reichelt agreed, telling Reminder Publishing, “The installation of these signs will absolutely increase safety for drivers.”

Reichelt continued, “I’ll be pleased when it happens. I think it’s important that it does happen. The traffic is getting worse and not much better. Sign installation will be important and I’m happy that it’s happening.”

During the event, Sapelli shared that he and Reichelt had been working to ensure the signs were installed. “It’s a good thing. We don’t want them just for the bridge project. This is something that has been an issue. Even if the bridge is working, we all try to use that route. We’ve been working diligently together and it’s been a great effort,” Sapelli said.

Sapelli said that travel would remain typical during the installation of the permanent signs. “The installation will take place mainly off-road, so the impact will be very minimal if at all,” Sapelli said.

As far as the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge construction project goes, Sapelli said he feels the traffic impacts have lessened.

“It depends on the time of day that you’re traveling, but they’ve put in some work. The traffic lights work with each other and not against each other. They’ve changed the timing and realized there is more traffic coming into Agawam and that the lights needed to be adjusted. Adjusting signals has made a big impact,” Sapelli said.

Sapelli said he and Reichelt have continued to work with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to find methods of completing the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge construction project in a timely manner. “We’re still trying to get workers that incentive money and hoping they will pay them overtime to work nights and weekends. It would be less inconvenient for residents and less damaging,” Sapelli said.

While no specific date has been set as of yet, residents can expect to see signs installed by the Vietnam Veterans Bridge by the end of May.