The Tobin Bridge Thread

BostonUrbEx said:
Another good one. But I think 93 is too taxed. Whereas the most recent Pike extension is empty.
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DO BOTH! You have a downtown bypass AND traffic is able to be separated based on destination, without having to cram everything through the north station spaghetti.

Not to mention that two smaller projects is probably easier to do than one mega bridge.

http://goo.gl/maps/xXao8
 
BostonUrbEx said:
I'm not sure I understand what you mean?

Route 1 would be removed entirely from the Chelsea Curve to the Levritt Ramps. MA-16 would briefly take place of Rt 1 near the high school due to possibly better/less destructive alignment.

And 1N to 16W is easy. You'd stay in the right lane where you cross over Broadway near Revere Center. You'd go down a ramp, under the highway, and you're on 16W.
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I misread the map-- please disregard.
 
If the Tobin is ever replaced, instead of just repaired in place, people will quite rightfully demand pedestrian and bicycle access. Which used to exist between Chelsea and Charlestown, back when there was a low drawbridge instead of the Tobin.
 
Its Probably only got 30 years left.... A Tunnel would be a great replacement and easier to maintain. They should also add Rail , and Extend the Green line to Chelsea and then up into Revere and Everett...
 
Can you do it in a way that won't asphyxiate the pedestrians and cyclists?
 
Ron Newman said:
Can you do it in a way that won't asphyxiate the pedestrians and cyclists?
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A Fan , like just about every tunnel built these days... Newer Tunnels have fans every 500-1000ft....to push out Exhaust and bring in fresh air...
 
Even in the big dig tunnels which are very well ventilated I roll my windows up. Now imagine being on a bike going full tilt taking very large, deep breaths of those fumes. Or a pedestrian walking in there for an extended time. Now what happens if traffic is backed up, or there's a smog-belching old truck or honda, or worse yet a car fire.

Tunnels are great for cars and trains. They suck for everyone else. I'm not saying it would kill you, but it wouldn't be ideal at all.
 
Well when they build New Tunnels , The Ped/Bike Tunnels are separate from the Auto or Transit Tunnels with a thick wall.... In Japan they put in a Movable walkway...
 
Nexis4jersey said:
Well when they build New Tunnels , The Ped/Bike Tunnels are separate from the Auto or Transit Tunnels with a thick wall.... In Japan they put in a Movable walkway...
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Well that sir, would be awesome.
 
It's a cool idea, but I wouldnt want to be in a long tunnel that has the charlestown projects at one end. It would turn into a junkie convention.
 
Where would a tunnel come up and interconnect? If you replace the bridge, you would have to take a fair amount of housing? if the tobin has 30 years left, we probably should've started planning 10 years ago at the rate this will go. I hope we dont have one of those temporary bridges in place for 30 years, those things can be terrifying (see fore river shipyard)
 
Bridges are generally more cost-effective than tunnels.

They've spent over $100 million refurbishing and repainting it over the past 20 years. They have a full time DOT crew there maintaining it, I would bet it would last more than 30 years. The best option for a pedestrian walkway would probably be something cantilevered off the side of it.
 
It would be cool if a new bridge (again obviously super speculative) had two roadways like it currently does, you wouldn't want to or be able to reduce automotive capacity, but the top span, same spacing could have 3 train tracks (one for express), then a pedestrian/bike way. It's a long high span, give people space to enjoy the view and ride their bike rather than most current bridge configurations which squeeze them on a sidewalk. If they do that, don't even include it because no one would walk it.
 
Interesting. I wonder how the unions will react to this.......
 
Also MassDOT is working on a $43 Million 3-Year Repainting project on the Truss Span of the bridge. They finished the 1st year in 2012 with the second year in 2013 and the final and third year in 2014.
 
Re: Photo of the Day, Boston Style: Part IV (2011)

Lurker said:
Build a tunnel to replace the Tobin and all of a sudden a lot of real estate opens up in Charlestown and Chelsea for development. Land which could be sold to pay for the tunnel.
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Totally agree. Might even be able to go down far enough to be able to build a road deck outside of the current footprint. Has to be deep enough to clear the gas tankers that come in and we're in business.

Does Charlestown might have a moratory of how high buildings can be built? (In relation to the Bunker Hill/Breeds Hill monument?)
 
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