After opening bids from five contractors on Tuesday, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced they will likely select Fred Deroma and Son, Inc., the apparent low bidder, for its upcoming redesign of the intersection at Morton Street and Gallivan Boulevard and adjoining roadways.

Deroma and Son, a Roslindale-based road contractor, submitted a bid of $3,197,373.27 for the road work, the lowest of the five total bids. MassDOT will review this bid and vet the company before issuing the Notice to Proceed for work. Once that process is complete, MassDOT will host a public meeting detailing the project and construction schedule, which will take place before construction begins in the spring.

“We are pleased to have opened bids and identified the lowest apparent bidder for our upcoming project to improve a section of Morton Street and these two intersections,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver in a press release. “We have benefited from a great amount of input from the community and elected and local officials throughout the design process, and we look forward to continuing to engage the public as we move forward with construction operations.”

A redesign of the intersection, long identified as a high crash location, has been in the works for over a decade. Local officials who have followed the project closely over the years voiced their enthusiasm as the saga nears its apparent conclusion.

“Over the years, residents, Representative Cullinane and former Senator Linda Dorcena Forry worked vigorously to secure $3.5 million in state funds for safety improvements to the Morton/Gallivan intersection,” said State Senator Nick Collins in a statement. “When I took office, I continued the work of my colleagues by advocating making this intersection safe as a number one priority. I commend MassDOT for listening to our calls and look forward to seeing this project reach completion.”

State Representative Dan Cullinane, who has repeatedly advocated on behalf of the project in the past, echoed Senator Collins’ sentiments.

“It is always encouraging to see the pre-construction process move on to the next phase. With the bids now opened and once the subsequent vetting process is complete, we will soon know which contractor will officially be performing the critical work of making the intersections of Morton Street and Gallivan Boulevard, and Morton Street and West Selden Street, the safe intersections our community deserves,” said Cullinane. “This public safety project has been a long time coming and I cannot wait to get shovels in the ground as soon as possible.”

The project will aim to make the intersection safer by realigning the roadway and adding traffic signals and raised medians. A new traffic signal and protected left turn lane will also be installed at the intersection of Morton Street and West Selden Street, in addition to new exclusive left turn lanes on Morton Street. Bicycle lanes will be added along Morton Street between the two intersections, and all sidewalks will be reconstructed.

According to MassDOT, construction will be carried out in four phases: roadway widening, proposed island construction, sidewalk construction, and final paving. Deroma and Son are expected to begin the first phase of construction in the spring. According to the company’s website, they are a family-run road contractor that has worked on projects in the Boston area since 1974. They have previously completed roadway and signal improvements on Blue Hills Parkway in Milton and on Beacon Street in Newton.