Massport is committed to using the newest technology and safest systems to remove and contain old paint to provide a protective and safe environment for our neighboring residents and the bridge itself. Massport's procedure for this project includes a stringent set of controls based on guidelines from the Steel Structures Painting Council, now known as the Society for Protective Coatings, considered the industry standard for protection of public health and the environment. Because the majority of the painting will take place on the underside of the Everett Avenue on-ramp, traffic impacts will be minimal. The Tobin Bridge, like most bridges, must be painted on a continual basis. Protective coatings shield it from exposure to the elements, which cause rust, a deteriorating agent of steel.
Green paint is used to reflect sun away from the surface, thus causing less damage to the paint.
The Tobin Memorial Bridge by virtue of its location is extremely vulnerable to damaging elements such as the harsh New England weather and ocean salt, a known corrosive.