SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - It’s a story we’ve been following since last summer, the West Street Bridge from Ludlow to Springfield has been closed to traffic since August 2025. While the city and MassDOT have completed multiple inspections. Residents have called this long-term closure a “traffic nightmare,” but they may have more to worry about starting in 2028.

These “road closed” signs are no stranger to Ludlow and Springfield residents, but drivers are going to be seeing even more of these signs up come 2028 — with the closure and replacement of the Putts Bridge as well.

To put this into context, there are only three major bridges that bring you into Ludlow, as it’s surrounded by the Chicopee River and the Mass. Turnpike.

On Wednesday morning, the Springfield Department of Public Works announced that in two years, the Putts Bridge, which is in the early design process, will need a full replacement. This would leave only one bridge, the red bridge, open to cross into Ludlow — without drivers having to get on or off the pike.

Springfield DPW Director, Christopher Cignoli stated, “We know that the closure of the West Street Bridge has resulted in a major impact to the public, however, due to the condition of the structure, and the future planned work on the Putts Bridge project, all involved parties wanted to make sure that the repairs were longer term that what was originally identified. As we have more information of the exact schedule we will share it with the public.”

This could mean that the West Street Bridge may still be closed to traffic at the time of the Putts Bridge renovations. If that’s the case — residents and business owners in Ludlow told us that this would be a traffic nightmare to say the least.

Teddy Metayer, a delivery driver and flower designer for Heavenly Inspirations Flowers and Gifts, which is right next to the Putts Bridge, told Western Mass News the West Street Bridge closure has already impacted delivery times, and he now fears that their shop may see less and less customers with the delays, “it’s hard to say right now. We’ve had people already complain about the traffic from the bridge currently. I had a customer who waited 15 minutes to get into the parking lot. So I can only imagine if the backup gets worse and where that’s going to be.”

Springfield DPW said that all parties are trying to avoid multiple closings at once with “quick fix options”, and while no exact schedule can be shared just yet — the hope is to finish the West Street Bridge re-opened by the end of this calendar year.

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