Bill Russell Bridge | North Washington St.

No, I'm with you 100% that's why I posted the picture.

People see old and decrepit things and just assume they have no value and must be replaced. That picture shows that that old bridge is more capable that it is getting credit for.
 
^ I really like this, but the trees are stupid. They won't survive one winter when their roots freeze exposed like that.
I'm not in favor these trees, but the average frost depth in Maine varies from 40 inches in the south to 60 inches in the north. I think MA requires all utility water lines to be at least four feet deep.
 
I'm not in favor these trees, but the average frost depth in Maine varies from 40 inches in the south to 60 inches in the north. I think MA requires all utility water lines to be at least four feet deep.

The bridge is not "in the ground". We are talking 360 degree exposure of large planter boxes to winter's full forces. Dead trees are a given.
 
There's nothing structural about the pergola, right? Just decoration?
 
There's nothing structural about the pergola, right? Just decoration?

It might function as a windscreen. Just a guess, though.
_____________________________________________

evergreens.jpg


^ Ipswich MA

specimen.jpg


^ Lancaster MA

711298d0d303a8aa7e273d782a3e93ab


7641e1066c414b2abf393dd1321dc8c1


^ Windham NH

the_washington_harbour_Item_1_Image.jpg


^Washington DC (second set of trees for this allee, first set grew to be too large.
 
Allee does not equal bridge. Bridge freezes from the bottom, too.

Those nursery balls will get packed in straw, mulch and pine needles to winter over. No competent nursery would leave them exposed for the winter.
 
There's nothing structural about the pergola, right? Just decoration?

It is just decoration the idea behind it if I remember correctly is to call to mind the current bridge that has the truss structure.
 
high-line-2.jpg


http://assets.thehighline.org/pdf/12_High Line Plant List.pdf

The better case against trees on the N. Washington St bridge is that these will be high-maintenance, and the city of Boston historically underfunds upkeep of its green spaces, often leaving that responsibility to the state or private groups, e.g., the Greenway, Post Office Square Park, Esplanade, Public Gardens.

anacostia-rendering.jpg


A bridge being converted from vehicular use to pedestrian use. Architects are OMA (Dutch) and Olin Studio.
 
^ I wish we had the climate for that. Very nice.

Also, your maintenance point is probably even worse that you imagine, since I believe the North Washington Street Bridge is a State project. DOT never maintains anything for pedestrians. They won't even install street lighting on the Turnpike bridges.
 
The replacement bridge looks fantastic. I like the pedestrian component on the sides.
 
Looks okay. I'm hoping they will slap a double-track light rail line down the middle of it someday, and be stout enough to handle the loading.
 
Meh.

Call me when they rebuild the beverly st/ main st bridge next door too.
 
Not really. I could see a light rail line running from South Station along the RKG, crossing the Charles using this new bridge, and continue on to Chelsea via a low level draw bridge adjacent to the Tobin, or integrated into a Tobin Bridge relacement.
 
Not really. I could see a light rail line running from South Station along the RKG, crossing the Charles using this new bridge, and continue on to Chelsea via a low level draw bridge adjacent to the Tobin, or integrated into a Tobin Bridge relacement.

That's never going to happen. The road infrastructure on this stretch simply cannot handle having light rail take up lanes - especially the area of North Washington around Causeway Street.
 
Hmm...What if they built a sort of raised rail bed? So that passengers cars could travel underneath. It may sound crazy but it might work!
 

Back
Top