The Overview

If you cross the Pleasant Street bridge in Dighton, the state has just cleared the way for it to be replaced. A recent law lets Dighton use a 514-square-foot piece of conservation land to replace a roadway bridge on Pleasant Street. ​

Massachusetts' An Act authorizing the town of Dighton to use a portion of conservation land for public way purposes, S 3052 became law when Gov. Maura Healey (D) signed it Aug. 5. The Pleasant Street Bridge has been described as aging, with concerns about flooding and emergency access, and the town had secured a $2.75 million federal grant for the replacement, according to the Taunton Daily Gazette.

What the Law Does

The law lets Dighton transfer care, custody, management and control of a 514-square-foot parcel at 0 Pleasant Street, along with temporary easements, from the town's conservation commission to the Board of Selectmen for general municipal purposes, specifically to allow replacement of the roadway bridge serving the adjacent public way. The land is identified on the town's assessor maps as parcels 076/020.0-0012 and 076/020.0-0013, and includes land the town originally acquired for conservation purposes. The act says the town of Dighton may transfer 514 square feet of conservation land to the Board of Selectmen "notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary."

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation lists an estimated total contract cost of $5,804,064.65 for the bridge replacement project, with construction planned to begin in autumn 2026. The town received a $2.75 million federal grant for the bridge replacement, the Taunton Daily Gazette reported in 2023.

Legislative Status

Sen. Kelly Dooner (R) and Rep. Justin Thurber (R) sponsored the bill, which originated as a petition by vote of the town of Dighton. Both chambers passed it unanimously: the House voted 157 to 0 on July 29, and the Senate voted 39 to 0 on July 30.

From its first committee action to the governor's signature, the bill moved through the full process in 114 days. The State House News Service reported on the bill's passage through the Senate.

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