Bill Russell Bridge | North Washington St.

[real_EthanHunt]

Any movement on the architectural screening being installed on the side of the bridge deck yet? Has anyone seen any progress on this? I hope its still part of the plan.

Streetsblog also reports that all lanes should be open by the end of this year, in the originally proposed configuration (2 lanes each direction and 1 SB bus lane)

(which mentions an April 2025 official completion):

the architectural work that doesnt impact operations being done last? would seem to make sense

 

[Equilibria]

We can't keep using our beloved sports icons' names for groan-inducing purposes. I hear Ted Williams in a traffic context more than I do in a baseball one. I would hate for one day, some Boston born kid to hear Russell Airport and thinks of waiting in line at TSA for an hour instead of 11 championships.

If anything renaming North Station to Russell Station might make the most sense.

Wouldn't that be just as bad? Plenty of delays there too.

In any case, this one's a fait accompli. I'd rather be naming infrastructure after non-political figures (though certainly after activists) and David Ortiz got screwed - his bridge will hopefully one day cease to be a bridge. At least he got "David Ortiz Way", which is what they should have named that whole street past the ballpark instead of "Jersey Street" (particularly because the mailing address of Fenway Park is on Jersey Street - it could have been 2004 David Ortiz Way ).

 

[bigeman312]

It might turn into excellent bat habitat if it isn't covered up.

I think it’d be great if the bridge became bat habitat! Little brown bats help control mosquitoes naturally, and they stay out of sight. It could really benefit the city’s environment.

 

[thepixelnation]

Wouldn't that be just as bad? Plenty of delays there too.

In any case, this one's a fait accompli. I'd rather be naming infrastructure after non-political figures (though certainly after activists) and David Ortiz got screwed - his bridge will hopefully one day cease to be a bridge. At least he got "David Ortiz Way", which is what they should have named that whole street past the ballpark instead of "Jersey Street" (particularly because the mailing address of Fenway Park is on Jersey Street - it could have been 2004 David Ortiz Way ).

David Ortiz got the bridge only because he's still alive. I think there is something in Mass law that says roads can only be named after someone who has died (x amount of years ago), and that's not there for Bridges.

 

[HenryAlan]

David Ortiz got the bridge only because he's still alive. I think there is something in Mass law that says roads can only be named after someone who has died (x amount of years ago), and that's not there for Bridges.

But he got a street, too, just not the most Fenway Parkish of streets.

 

[thepixelnation]

But he got a street, too, just not the most Fenway Parkish of streets.

View attachment 57079

Oh yeah I forgot about that. I remember when Tim Wakefield died people were discussing renaming Jersey St. to Wakefield Way, but there was some law saying that someone needs to be gone for a certain amount of time.

Maybe it was easier to rename an extension, esp when that extension's name was Yawkey? If anything Papi deserves something better than an access road.

 

[chrisbrat]

Oh yeah I forgot about that. I remember when Tim Wakefield died people were discussing renaming Jersey St. to Wakefield Way, but there was some law saying that someone needs to be gone for a certain amount of time.

Maybe it was easier to rename an extension, esp when that extension's name was Yawkey? If anything Papi deserves something better than an access road.

A big part of it was a sense of urgency to disassociate from the rascist implications of having it be "Yawkey" way.

 

[thepixelnation]

A big part of it was a sense of urgency to disassociate from the rascist implications of having it be "Yawkey" way.

I'll always have a soft spot for Yawkey Way and other centers named after Tom/the family but it 100% had to go and was an important moment for the city in that regard.

And now we are left with a street name that should totally be changed to something that will mean more. I get the players wear jerseys but half the time I see the name I think New Jersey and then I hate myself.

 

[JeffDowntown]

I'll always have a soft spot for Yawkey Way and other centers named after Tom/the family but it 100% had to go and was an important moment for the city in that regard.

And now we are left with a street name that should totally be changed to something that will mean more. I get the players wear jerseys but half the time I see the name I think New Jersey and then I hate myself.

Just to be clear, the Jersey Street name far predates Fenway Park; it has nothing to do with the Red Sox. It is another of the English throwback names in the Back Bay and Fenway area.

"Jersey Street was the original name of the street that runs parallel to Ipswich and Kilmarnock Streets in the Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood. It was named in the late 1850s after George Augustus Frederick Child Villiers, the sixth Earl of Jersey. " (per Wikipedia.)

 

[thepixelnation]

Just to be clear, the Jersey Street name far predates Fenway Park; it has nothing to do with the Red Sox. It is another of the English throwback names in the Back Bay and Fenway area.

"Jersey Street was the original name of the street that runs parallel to Ipswich and Kilmarnock Streets in the Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood. It was named in the late 1850s after George Augustus Frederick Child Villiers, the sixth Earl of Jersey. " (per Wikipedia.)

Even more of a reason to change it then.

 

[chrisbrat]

I'll always have a soft spot for Yawkey Way and other centers named after Tom/the family but it 100% had to go and was an important moment for the city in that regard.

And now we are left with a street name that should totally be changed to something that will mean more. I get the players wear jerseys but half the time I see the name I think New Jersey and then I hate myself.

I wasn’t clear (my bad; sorry) - we had been discussing David Ortiz Drive and my comment was in reference to the prior name, “Yawkey Way Extension,” and not the former Yawkey Way, which did, indeed, become Jersey Street.

 

[BeeLine]

As of 10/27 we have two wings. Looking GOOD.
I noticed that they have removed, what little was left of the Harbor Walk, from under the bridge. I hope it is replaced.

 

[Patrick Winn]

Great photos. Hopefully you're talking about the North End side. Charlestown side has a little harbor walkway underneath that's still there to the best of my recollection. This bridge is beautiful, and it's going to be the example par excellence of what good lighting can do for a structure. I hope it encourages the West End to step up its lighting game. The bridge has been featured during celtics games already; can't wait until it turns green.

 

[Jeremi]

Great photos. Hopefully you're talking about the North End side. Charlestown side has a little harbor walkway underneath that's still there to the best of my recollection. This bridge is beautiful, and it's going to be the example par excellence of what good lighting can do for a structure. I hope it encourages the West End to step up its lighting game. The bridge has been featured during celtics games already; can't wait until it turns green.

It doesn’t look anything like its rendering. Why does the city allow this kind of bait and switch?

 

[BeeLine]

It doesn’t look anything like its rendering. Why does the city allow this kind of bait and switch?

Have you even looked at the renderings (557). Sure looks like we got what was promised.

 

[Jeremi]

Have you even looked at the renderings (557). Sure looks like we got what was promised.

Have you even looked at the renderings? The smooth sides of the bridge are gone. It looks like they got VEd out.

 

[cubbe8]

Have you even looked at the renderings? The smooth sides of the bridge are gone. It looks like they got VEd out.

It’s not done, they will be added later

 

[Jeremi]

It’s not done, they will be added later

Do you have proof of this or is it just wishful thinking?

 

[1hp]

It’s not done, they will be added later

Have you seen the permanent utility cabinets on the north end side in the middle of the sidewalk? So horrible and dangerous. I can only assume they are VE’d out if that utility cabinet location was.

 

[Patrick Winn]

Have you even looked at the renderings? The smooth sides of the bridge are gone. It looks like they got VEd out.

To me it looks indistinguishable from the renders. More importantly, its great for people like me who have to cross the bridge every day. But I'm still heartbroken it's not up to your expectations.