"Dirty Old Boston"

stick n move said:
https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/14lplv7
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That spot on the Cambridge side is infuriating because so much of what made it a beautiful is still there, tauntingly. But it's all obscured by a 1950's road expansion.
It's like walking under the Bowker Overpass and noticing the old balustrades in the park remnants. And one wonders how this could have happened. But with more swearing.

1688055243011.png
 
ritchiew said:
That spot on the Cambridge side is infuriating because so much of what made it a beautiful is still there, tauntingly. But it's all obscured by a 1950's road expansion.
It's like walking under the Bowker Overpass and noticing the old balustrades in the park remnants. And one wonders how this could have happened. But with more swearing.
Click to expand...

So, it is indeed infuriating that those out-of-place ramps on the Cambridge side are there in the first place. But adding insult to injury: within the past two years they dug up, repaired, and repaved the entire road bed whilst not touching the rotted and collapsing guard rails throughout this. Despite there being a massive construction/rehab project, with lane closures etc, the whole thing wrapped up without anyone touching the guardrails. Astonishing how we manage our infrastructure in this country.

(EDIT: correction to prior posting; the pedestrian side facing Boston has different rails that match the rest of Mem. Drive)

Images: brand new road, yet collapsing rails:

mdr-2.png
mdr-1.png
 
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ritchiew said:
That spot on the Cambridge side is infuriating because so much of what made it a beautiful is still there, tauntingly. But it's all obscured by a 1950's road expansion.
It's like walking under the Bowker Overpass and noticing the old balustrades in the park remnants. And one wonders how this could have happened. But with more swearing.
Click to expand...

At least the Bowker is not long for this world (if all goes to plan).
 
ritchiew said:
I'm not sure what you mean. That plan is to just rebuild the overpass.
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Not just to rebuild as the current structure exists: "State officials announced today they now have the money in hand for what could be a ten-year project to replace the current decrepit hulk of an overpass that connects Storrow Drive and the Fenway over part of the Emerald Necklace with more graceful roads - and new paths and parkland aimed at reconnecting the Emerald Necklace and the Esplanade, which were severed when the overpass went up over Charlesgate in the 1960s."
 
chrisbrat said:
Not just to rebuild as the current structure exists: "State officials announced today they now have the money in hand for what could be a ten-year project to replace the current decrepit hulk of an overpass that connects Storrow Drive and the Fenway over part of the Emerald Necklace with more graceful roads - and new paths and parkland aimed at reconnecting the Emerald Necklace and the Esplanade, which were severed when the overpass went up over Charlesgate in the 1960s."
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That takes the cake for political BS announcements. What the're saying in that announcement is pretty much an outright lie. The Bowker will still be there, albeit in a prettified form.
 
chrisbrat said:
Not just to rebuild as the current structure exists: "State officials announced today they now have the money in hand for what could be a ten-year project to replace the current decrepit hulk of an overpass that connects Storrow Drive and the Fenway over part of the Emerald Necklace with more graceful roads - and new paths and parkland aimed at reconnecting the Emerald Necklace and the Esplanade, which were severed when the overpass went up over Charlesgate in the 1960s."
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Yeah, but the key there is that the are *replacing the overpass.*
The UH link you posted takes me to proposed before/after pics of the exact spot I was thinking of.
news.northeastern.edu

Northeastern professors tackle major redesign of Charlesgate, the neglected ‘clasp’ of the Emerald Necklace park system

Two Northeastern professors are tackling the redesign for Charlesgate Park to connect it with the Charles River and the Back Bay Fens.
news.northeastern.edu news.northeastern.edu
Here's the current situation:

1688124007975.png


And here's the proposed fix:

1688124167786.png


I understand there will be better pedestrian connections. That's great. It will help people more quickly get through and away from this once pretty park.
 
Always a total lack of imagination when it comes to prettying up areas underneath overpasses. It's always painting the poles and/or putting in some multicolored lighting. It's a big empty room. Put big stuff in it. Anything. Hang disco balls at varying heights and illuminate them. Put big lamp shades on the poles and turn them into giant table lamps. Put in vendor stalls. Build a mini golf course inspired by Tron. I dunno, just fill the room.
 
Plen-T-Pak said:
Always a total lack of imagination when it comes to prettying up areas underneath overpasses. It's always painting the poles and/or putting in some multicolored lighting. It's a big empty room. Put big stuff in it. Anything. Hang disco balls at varying heights and illuminate them. Put big lamp shades on the poles and turn them into giant table lamps. Put in vendor stalls. Build a mini golf course inspired by Tron. I dunno, just fill the room.
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Excellent ideas, one and all!
 
shawnp said:
The bottom photo is interesting to me in that it shows the ramp from the Harvard (Mass Ave) Bridge to Storrow Eastbound.
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Um, isn't the left exit from Storrow Westbound before the Kenmore exit, also on the left? I'm pretty sure because I took that exit last week, and it's a special place for me as that was where the transmission in my shitbox 1990 Mazda truck literally shit itself at rush hour in 2007.
 
That hairpin curve must've been interesting...
 
Anyone ever have a crazy pitch for tightening that mess up? It's such a lousy section to walk through while strolling along the river.
 
ritchiew said:
Yeah, but the key there is that the are *replacing the overpass.*
The UH link you posted takes me to proposed before/after pics of the exact spot I was thinking of.
news.northeastern.edu

Northeastern professors tackle major redesign of Charlesgate, the neglected ‘clasp’ of the Emerald Necklace park system

Two Northeastern professors are tackling the redesign for Charlesgate Park to connect it with the Charles River and the Back Bay Fens.
news.northeastern.edu news.northeastern.edu
Here's the current situation:

View attachment 39700

And here's the proposed fix:

View attachment 39701

I understand there will be better pedestrian connections. That's great. It will help people more quickly get through and away from this once pretty park.
Click to expand...
Plen-T-Pak said:
Always a total lack of imagination when it comes to prettying up areas underneath overpasses. It's always painting the poles and/or putting in some multicolored lighting. It's a big empty room. Put big stuff in it. Anything. Hang disco balls at varying heights and illuminate them. Put big lamp shades on the poles and turn them into giant table lamps. Put in vendor stalls. Build a mini golf course inspired by Tron. I dunno, just fill the room.
Click to expand...
It's because they're screaming loud and full of poisonous air and nobody wants to be there.
 
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