Northern Avenue Bridge Fort Point Channel

Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

Having the bridge there is impractical. It should be removed. Geeeeeeeezus.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

Any time I walk by there, people are using the bridge. So it's obviously useful and therefore practical.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

^ Jimbo's comment may have been ironic.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

Glad to see the Hoogly being bridged.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

I was being serious. It has to be turned sideways anytime a ship goes by? Does that make any sense?


[[ edited ]]

My comment didn't make any sense.

LOL!
 
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Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

I love how people talk about this being a "rare" bridge when the Charlestown Bridge 1.5 miles away is a bigger, more spectacular example of this type of construction.

I'd hope not a penny of my money is spent on the Northern Avenue bridge. If a developer wants to adopt it as a pet project, let him. It's not a part of our infrastructure anymore and as far as I'm concerned the state/city has no reason to squander millions of our dollars on this ridiculous pet project.

Demolish the thing or give it John Hynes for him to fix, and in return let him build 5-10 stories higher to recoup the costs.

Not a penny of my money for this shit bridge that has sat there for a decade rotting.

Oh, how I hope Question 1 passes tonight.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

This bridge is definitely part of our transportation infrastructure. Lots of people walk across it every day. It is the shortest way to the Moakley Courthouse, the ICA, and all future Fan Pier development. It can also be considered part of the Harborwalk.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

I think there are plans to replace the North Washington St Bridge aka Carlestown Bridge
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

$9+ million for a footbridge? No thanks. Not in this economic climate. Not in any economic climate.

Tear the sucker down. The foot traffic from South Station to Fan Pier will be over the New Northern Avenue bridge - you know that bridge, the one larded with taxpayer Big Dig money and given expensive pendants, cut-outs, and ornamental lighting and fixtures and named after some political hack's wife. You know, the brand new bridge that is about 60 feet away.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

I truly believe that removing this bridge would harm and impede Fan Pier development.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

The foot traffic from South Station to Fan Pier will be over the New Northern Avenue bridge - you know that bridge, the one larded with taxpayer Big Dig money and given expensive pendants, cut-outs, and ornamental lighting and fixtures and named after some political hack's wife. You know, the brand new bridge that is about 60 feet away.

So you think too much money was spent on that bridge? My goodness, "ornamental" lights! Glass blocks! That bridge is an embarassment. If anything not enough was spent to make this bridge of adequate quality. We should take a little pride in our public spaces for a change. 100 years ago we built landmarks like the Longfellow bridge, and yeah it was expensive. But do you think anyone is going to fondly remember the New Northern Avenue bridge in 10 years, much less 100?
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

Do you realize how much $9 million is? That is nothing. Drop in the bucket. For a bridge that will double as a public space connecting the SBW with the Greenway, and for a bridge with so much history and in such an important place, $9m is nothing.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

I believe it's $9M "so far" - the actual fix will cost $20-30M, and since this is Massachusetts, triple that cost, double the length of time, and halve your expectations for the finished product.

There's a reason why California and Massachusetts almost went bankrupt last month and the other 48 states were able to weather the financial crisis without needing a federal hand-out.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

There's nothing wrong with the Moakley Bridge, functionally or aesthetically. I just don't think it is sufficient for the amount of pedestrian traffic in this area, especially once Fan Pier and areas further east are built out.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

I guess I sound grumpy (as usual) so let me just say that I love the old Northern Avenue bridge, it's a really cool, funky and wonderful relic to the working waterfront. I'd love to see the tender house rebuilt and restored, maybe even turned into the Boston Tea Party museum and the entire bridge in beautiful, working order. I just think it's a high luxury for a city/state that is unable to handle it's finances. Like a neighbor in bankruptcy saying "I'm going to build a deck with a fire pit, and a mahogany hot tub" - sure it's nice, but are you kidding?

Between the owners of the Hook Lobster fire, the Barking Crab redevelopment, Seaport Square, and Fan Pier - there should be enough bribery (I mean "linkage") available to get this little bridge clean and working without taxpayer money. The key is to quickly approve private investment, let them build, dense and bold. Ignore Vivien Li and other unelected people who impede private investment.

There is no reason this bridge cannot be fixed with the tide of private investment that should be flooding that area.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

There's nothing wrong with the Moakley Bridge, functionally or aesthetically. I just don't think it is sufficient for the amount of pedestrian traffic in this area, especially once Fan Pier and areas further east are built out.

Although, if you look at the bas-relief of Evelyn Moakley from a standing position, she looks like a cackling witch. I couldn't figure out why they'd place such a horrible looking thing on that bridge, until I squatted to see eye-to-eye with it. Then her face looks nice and normal. Placing the bas-relief at such a low level was a bad idea, aesthetically speaking.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

Between the owners of the Hook Lobster fire, the Barking Crab redevelopment, Seaport Square, and Fan Pier - there should be enough bribery (I mean "linkage") available to get this little bridge clean and working without taxpayer money. The key is to quickly approve private investment, let them build, dense and bold. Ignore Vivien Li and other unelected people who impede private investment.

There is no reason this bridge cannot be fixed with the tide of private investment that should be flooding that area.

I'm gonna have to agree with you there. Shame our political leaders don't feel this way. When will Change? and Hope? get to the local level?
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

"When will Change? and Hope? get to the local level? "

Shortly before one is asked to open one's wallet, empty the contents, and wait patiently for Guido to deliver.
 
Re: Old Northern Ave Bridge

Nothing wrong with using taxpayer money on infrastructure--I'd say there are very few better uses for it. Everyone pays, everyone benefits, right?

That said, there's no need to publicly fund something that could be funded just as successfully with private funds.
 

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