Minor land-takings to aid Route 79 project
“Several eminent domain takings of small parcels in Fall River will add small steps to putting the Route 79/Braga Bridge Improvements project on firmer footing, state officials said.
At the end of July, the Legislature and Gov. Deval Patrick signed off on two public land-takings by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, state Sen. Michael Rodrigues, D-Westport, said.
He said one parcel is on Canal Street, where the 12-foot high monument to Pfc. Manuel F. Claudio was moved last fall to Bicentennial Park next to the Iwo Jima Monument.
Claudio, serving in World War II with the Army Corps of Engineers, stepped on a land mine in Italy and was killed at 26 years old.
That MassDOT land-taking included the requirement the monument be moved, said Rodrigues, who filed the bill about a year ago.
The Fall River Housing Authority, according to the city’s assessor, owned that triangular 5,692-square-foot parcel, Assessor Donald Berube said.
Berube said the second oblong parcel on Central Street is just over an acre, at 47,916 square feet, and was owned by the City of Fall River.
It’s located across from the temporary off-ramp from I-195 westbound just before Government Center leading to Davol Street, Rodrigues said.
In both cases, he said the additional land would help improve access for highway ramps for the $197 million mega-project.”
Holtzman, Michael. Fall River Wicked Local 14 August 2014.