Quincy officials investigate work underway on Long Island Bridge pier

Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger
·2 min read
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QUINCY − City officials traveled by police boat last week to the channel between Moon Island and Long Island, where 13 piers stand like giant steppingstones between the two islands.

They went to investigate work taking place on one of the piers, which supported the Long Island Bridge until it was demolished in 2015.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in August that the city intends to rebuild the bridge in four years and then resume substance abuse services on the island, a plan Quincy has been fighting since it was announced by former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

Quincy Director of Inspectional Services Rob Conlon said someone from his office noticed a barge and a crane moored off one of the piers Sept. 6. He said Quincy wasn’t notified by Boston of any scheduled work, so Quincy officials decided to visit the site the next day to gather more information.

A work barge and a crane at the Long Island Bridge site prompted Quincy officials to visit the pier where maintenance work was performed Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.
A work barge and a crane at the Long Island Bridge site prompted Quincy officials to visit the pier where maintenance work was performed Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.

Conlon met a group of about five workers on the barge. They told him their employer had contracted with Boston to reset three large stone blocks above the waterline on the third pier from Moon Island. Conlon later told The Patriot Ledger that the first six piers from Moon Island are in Quincy's territory.

The worker called his project manager, who spoke to Conlon on the phone. Conlon told the project manager that the repairs looked more extensive than routine maintenance and asked for a copy of the contract.

Conlon voiced concerns about whether Boston had the proper permits to conduct the work, or whether Boston officials should have first gained clearance from the Quincy Conservation Committee. However, he later told The Patriot Ledger that the work may be permissible maintenance.

Construction workers pause while Quincy inspectors talk with the job foreman.
Construction workers pause while Quincy inspectors talk with the job foreman.

It is the first time that Quincy has sent a boat out to investigate Boston’s operations on the bridge piers, Conlon said.

During the trip, officials from the Quincy Inspectional Services Department also observed for the first time construction trailers on the eastern edge of Moon Island. Boston owns Moon Island, where the city's police and firefighters are trained, but the island sits within Quincy's borders.

One of the Long Island Bridge piers has a few missing blocks.
One of the Long Island Bridge piers has a few missing blocks.

Conlon said construction trailers typically need a permit and his department would look further into the issue.

A spokesperson for Boston emailed the following statement to The Patriot Ledger:

"The city is engaged in routine maintenance work. We are focused on completing our final preconstruction approvals as quickly as possible so that we can begin to bring this vital public health campus back online."

Boston plans to restore a substance abuse treatment center and other services to the island if the bridge is rebuilt on the existing piers. Quincy recently appealed the state Department of Environmental Protection's granting of a license for the project.

Rob Conlon, of Quincy Inspectional Services, waits for word on what permits were granted for work on a pier that held up the former Long Island Bridge. Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.
Rob Conlon, of Quincy Inspectional Services, waits for word on what permits were granted for work on a pier that held up the former Long Island Bridge. Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.

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Reach Peter Blandino at pblandino@patriotledger.com

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy officials investigate work on the Long Island Bridge pier