North Bank Bridge Pedestrian Walkway

EdMc

EdMc

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I'm assuming this is a new thread because I looked for this subject and did not see a mention. Forgive me if I missed it.

From a "Special Advertising Section", page B5, of the Engineering News-Record, October 19, 2009 issue:

Location: Cambridge to Charlestown
Owner: Massachusetts Highway Department
ARRA Funds: $36 million (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act)

Start date: December 2009 Completion: February 2012

The highway department will construct a 700-ft long, 12-ft wide steel sinusoidal truss bridge on drilled shaft foundations that crosses over commuter rail tracks and the Millers River providing a bicycle/pedestrian connection from East Cambridge to City Square in Charlestown and the waterfront of Boston Harbor. The work also includes installation of a fiber-reinforced polymer bridge deck assembly with polymer concrete wearing surface, sea wall reconstruction, retaining walls and curbing, lighting, subsurface utility work, landscaping and soil remediation and disposal.

There is an accompanying rendering which doesn't show the entire expanse of the bridge and is not very illustrative. The only steel work above the surface appears to be a railing.

From /www.eot.state.ma.us/recovery/:

Project #: 605726
Project: BOSTON- CAMBRIDGE- NORTH BANK BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION, B-16-302=C-01-028, RIVERWALK OVER CHARLES RIVER & MBTA
Description: North Bank Bridge Construction Br. No. B-16-302=C-01-028 River Walk over the Charles and Millers Rivers and the MBTA Railroad (ARRA Project)
Date
Advertised: 2009-09-19 00:00:00
ARRA Amt.
or Est. Cost: $36,578,380.00
 
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Finally.

Im thinking this is the spot

IMG_0458.jpg


You cans ee the missing bridges here (across the tracks and across the river)

charlesparks_lg.gif
 
I'm hoping the pedestrian bridge alongside the opposite (Downtown) bank of the Charles River is constructed someday. It would connect the new Nashua Street Park to the new pedestrian bridge at Loveloy Wharf, with a pedetrian overpass of the railroad tracks at Spaulding Hospotal. I don't think there is any funding programmed for that project, unfortunately.
 
It says it started Fall 2009, I know that can't be right unless they started within a few days of Dec 21st.

Anyways, I'm glad it's finally being done. They also to need to finish off that dead-end path under the Zakim and bring it into the Paul Revere Park. And they said they'd be improving the pedestrian connection over the Charles River Dam, but I haven't seen anything about it in ages.
 
Usually this type of work can't start in ernest until late spring or early summer.

I can't say I love the frail look of the proposed bridge railing in the depiction above. Heftier railing would have complimented the surrounding massive bridges.
 
I'm less concerned about esthetics and more with "is it strong enough and high enough to stop an errant skateboarder from falling over the edge?" Remember that this will lead directly to the new skate park.
 
If those anti-skateboarding clips aren't fabricated or brazed on site, some idiot is going to try grinding the railing and wind up in the river.
 
Lurker said:
If those anti-skateboarding clips aren't fabricated or brazed on site, some idiot is going to try grinding the railing and wind up in the river.
Click to expand...

Or worse, on the tracks. Then again, it's Boston water, maybe that is worse than the tracks.
 
It'd be a pretty sick grind if they pulled it off. Just saying.
 
The supports of the sinusoidal bridge seem to be complete on the North Point side. Seeing how it will weave itself through all this existing infrastructure makes me think crossing this bridge will be very interesting.

north_bank_bridge_construction_5.jpg


north_bank_bridge_construction_3.jpg


north_bank_bridge_construction_6.jpg


north_bank_bridge_construction_1.jpg


north_bank_bridge_construction_2.jpg


north_bank_bridge_construction_4.jpg
 
I love the double helix design in the rendering.
 
I dont understand where you are in the 2nd picture
 
Oh, now I see, hes standing here

IMG_0458.jpg


Which I previously thought would be the beginning of the bridge, but in reality wont lead anywhere, except possibly south in conjunction with a 3rd rail bridge?
 
I'm excited about this project - the concept is really nice. A few questions if anyone knows:

1) Will the brick control station that is on the far side of the MBTA tracks be razed? It seems to be in the way of the pedestrian bridge, but I can't tell if that's just from the perspective of the picture.

2) Is there an active project to complete the pedestrian bridge over the charles that runs adjacent to the MBTA tracks?
 
1) I wouldn't be surprised. The thing LITTERALLY is kept from falling over by some 2x4's!

2) Not active, but AFAIK it's still possible. One of those "progress is really slow but one day this will be a really nice thing to have".
 
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