Craigie Bridge Restoration and Improvement

[BostonUrbEx]

http://www.livablestreets.info/files/letters/Craigie Bridges_Proposed Improvements_Dec2008.jpg


Official statement released on bridge closure for approximately one month starting November 6th: http://transportation.blog.state.ma...rawbridge-project-november-lane-closures.html


Discussion on RailRoad.net, mainly concerning the bridge's closure and it's impact on Green Line service and some background on the old viaduct lift and how it worked with the Craigie together: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=75938

 

[JohnAKeith]

How is this not going to cause a disaster in commutes?

 

[Ron Newman]

Letting the bridge fall down (or get stuck in the open position) would be a much worse disaster.

I'm very much looking forward to these bike lanes.

 

[Mayor Menino's Crohn's]

Letting the bridge fall down (or get stuck in the open position) would be a much worse disaster.

I'm very much looking forward to these bike lanes.

Yeah the benefits definitely outweigh the risks...


I don't think that this will take as long as people think...MassDOT has been keeping their word about finishing projects ahead of schedule.

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

If they had the $ they should have built a platform under the Green Line viaduct for bikers/pedestrians.

 

[CSTH]

Among other things, this experience should provide interesting data for converting all of McGrath-obrien from a near-freeway to an urban boulevard at some point in the future (while pushing some of its volume onto 93)

 

[MonopolyBag]

If they had the $ they should have built a platform under the Green Line viaduct for bikers/pedestrians.

Yes like the idea, but people and bikes must learn to live with traffic and vice versa.

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

Yes like the idea, but people and bikes must learn to live with traffic and vice versa.

True. Though this particular place could be part of the bikeway extension of the Minuteman Path from Davis Sq which is supposed to be built in conjunction with the Green Line Extension. London opened bike "superhighways" this year, why not Boston? (to be fair the "superhighways" are a complete joke, no different than most of the bike lanes cities in America are building.)

 

[GW2500]

If it needs to be done then so be it, but with that being said I'd avoid driving around this area for the next month if you can.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

They've got to get this one and the BU Bridge done before they can start rehabbing the Longfellow and go through the years of lane and speed restrictions that'll take. I'm sure that played into the decision to go quick-but-painful on the Craigie closure vs. keeping it open but having long, drawn-out restrictions. Longfellow's in bad enough shape that they can't postpone that project too many years longer, so they want the Craigie and BU jobs done-done before dropping the first traffic cone on one of its lanes.

 

[Ron Newman]

And somewhere the Storrow Drive tunnel rebuild (or elimination) also has to be slotted into the schedule.

 

[greenpoint0]

And then I won't have to mess around in Charlestown again to get to the MOS. Now if only things could move faster on the Neponset Bridge (which still has many months ahead of it). I mean, work's getting done at a good clip, but it is ever so painful.

 

[crash575]

MassDOT just uploaded a picture of the construction to their flickr account. The inbound span is gone!

 

[Charlie_mta]

Nice pic!

Looks like both the inbound and outbound lanes are gone, and replaced by a temporary Acrow bridge on the outbound lanes only.

 

[Mayor Menino's Crohn's]

http://transportation.blog.state.ma.us/blog/2011/01/craigie-drawbridge-winter-progress.html

Work continues through the winter on the Craigie Drawbridge Rehabilitation project, funded by the Patrick-Murray Administration's historic Accelerated Bridge Program to repair and replace structurally-deficient bridges across the Commonwealth.

During the past weekend, workers used a barge to deliver large pieces of the bridge and erected two of the bascule leafs using the crane seen at left. The crew was undeterred by cold and snowy conditions.

During January, the contractor is removing the temporary bridges and installing the new prefabricated bascule leaf. Prefabricated sections of the bridge are moved onto the barge from an assembly and staging area upriver. The same process will continue through February.

To allow for the work, MassDOT on January 8 closed all inbound travel lanes on Route 28 southbound at the intersection of Land Boulevard for approximately 12 weeks. The Craigie Drawbridge carries McGrath O?Brien Highway (Route 28) between Land Blvd. in Cambridge and Leverett Circle in Boston.

Traffic trying to access I-93 and Storrow Drive is detoured east over the Gilmore (Prison Point) Bridge towards Bunker Hill Community College/City Square. Traffic heading to I-93 Northbound is directed left through Sullivan Square, while traffic trying to access I-93 Southbound and Route 1 via the Tobin Bridge is directed to turn right. Traffic traveling to the Charles Circle Area is detoured westbound down Land Boulevard to the Longfellow Bridge to cross the Charles River. Outbound traffic leaving Boston through Leverett Circle will be unaffected during this period. For more information on the Craigie Drawbridge Rehabilitation project, please see www.mass.gov/massdot/charlesriverbridges.

 

[Mayor Menino's Crohn's]

From MASSDot