BU bridge

[jass]

So apparently there's not a thread for the BU bridge.

At least I couldn't find it.

Four years of construction, and no discussion? What is this?

Anyway, pictures from Monday. It's almost done.



First of all, the trees on Comm Ave, part of that project, grew really fast. They look great.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2812.jpg

We enter the bridge

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2813.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2816.jpg

The stairs to nowhere are looking better than ever. So inviting.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2817.jpg

Can't see the water below your feet anymore.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2818.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2819.jpg

New color

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2820.jpg

The geese ha their habitat destroyed, but they live on

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2824.jpg

We arrive at the rotary tunnel of doom

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2825.jpg

Not quite done

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2826.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2827.jpg

Landing area has been widened considerably

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2828.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2829.jpg

Previous life
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/bubridge.jpg


Apparently hundreds of millions don't buy you new traffic lights or compliant pedestrian buttons.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2830.jpg

Doesnt everyone love random project boundaries? Lets end the sidewalk widening at the project border and not coordinate with anyone about that.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2831.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2832.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2833.jpg


Anyway, across the bridge then

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2834.jpg

These lights arent to code, the traffic lights need to be beyond, not at the stop bar. Although personally I prefer them there.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2835.jpg

Not done

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2836.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2837.jpg

Hadnt realized that the bridge above the bridge actually goes above yet another bridge

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2839.jpg

More stairs to nowhere

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2840.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2843.jpg

New light meets old light

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2844.jpg

Oh lovely, another arbitrary project boundary.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2845.jpg

Yeah, no work was needed over here.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2846.jpg

Everything looks fantastic

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2847.jpg

You dont see too many of these anymore.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2848.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2849.jpg


FIN

[Ron Newman]

I expect the "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signs will be taken down when the project is actually complete (and the bike lanes have been painted and the orange barrels removed)

[atlantaden]

Jass, thanks for the pictorial and accompanying dialogue; so appreciated for someone like me who rarely get's over to that part of town when I'm in town except for driving by on the Pike! Real nice, thanks! I couldn't help but notice the new graffiti on the "new color", photo!

[whighlander]

Jass, thanks for the pictorial and accompanying dialogue; so appreciated for someone like me who rarely get's over to that part of town when I'm in town except for driving by on the Pike! Real nice, thanks! I couldn't help but notice the new graffiti on the "new color", photo!

Excelent update -- by the way the wierd underpass complex (BU bridge & Rail Bridge at an angle) on Soldiers Field / Storrow (never sure where the transition occurs between them) now looks very nice as you wizz along in light traffic -- haven't been in heavy enogh traffic to study it in detail

[mass88]

Nice pictures. Would have been better if they used brighter street lights for the bridge. These remind me of the ones they put on the Neponset Bridge in Quincy.

[dshoost88]

Hadnt realized that the bridge above the bridge actually goes above yet another bridge

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2839.jpg


This is actually a very unique point. I don't recall if I read it on wikipedia or somewhere more official, but this point right here is the only place in the world where somebody can fly on an airplane over a car driving on a bridge over a train chugging along a train track over a guy riding his bicycle over a person rowing a boat on a river. Allegedly this is the only place in the world where that happens.

[HenryAlan]

I've read that line, but without the bike part. I don't think there is room for a boat under the bike bridge, so it's either a plane over a car over a train over a boat (or bicycle), but not 5 means of conveyance.

Although, a small submarine might work ;)

[JohnAKeith]

So will pedestrians be able to walk down stairs to Storrow Drive bike path now?

[whighlander]

I've read that line, but without the bike part. I don't think there is room for a boat under the bike bridge, so it's either a plane over a car over a train over a boat (or bicycle), but not 5 means of conveyance.

Although, a small submarine might work ;)

Henry -- if you've a Kyak and can perfotm the Eskimo Roll at the right time you could still meet the criteria as a rolled kyak doesn't need much clearance

Then you could have a scuba diver pass under the kyak and someone in a one person submarine pass under the diver and the Pièce de Résistance:

someone in a tunnel boring machine could dig their way under the bottom of the Charles

Above the BU Bridge you might stack: a hang glider; Blimp; airplane; orbital space craft

I think we've just created a chef d'œuvre des artes conceptual!

AKA "Thinking above and below the Bridge" -- Penser au-dessus et en dessous du pont

[BostonUrbEx]

This is actually a very unique point. I don't recall if I read it on wikipedia or somewhere more official, but this point right here is the only place in the world where somebody can fly on an airplane over a car driving on a bridge over a train chugging along a train track over a guy riding his bicycle over a person rowing a boat on a river. Allegedly this is the only place in the world where that happens.

If I recall correctly, it says that on WikiMapia (Mapia, not Pedia). I don't remember the bike part though.

[jass]

So will pedestrians be able to walk down stairs to Storrow Drive bike path now?

No.

[Ron Newman]

That is definitely needed, but was unfortunately beyond the scope of this project.

[jass]

That is definitely needed, but was unfortunately beyond the scope of this project.

Repainting the crosswalk wouldnt exactly have been costly.

[vanshnookenraggen]

That is definitely needed, but was unfortunately beyond the scope of this project.

Umm just add those little metal ramp things they have all over Europe (and I've seen them on some bridges here too). Not rocket science, not expensive.

[F-Line to Dudley]

Drove it the other day when they finished the center pavement. Right shoulder was still coned off, but it was way better not hugging perilously close to the jersey barriers. They had a neat way of doing the deck work. The jersey barriers had toothed "tracks" over them like a rack railway, and they suspended machinery between the two barriers to put in the rebar and concrete. Never saw it in action, but they had the machine parked there last month when they were finishing the deck. Wonder if they're going to use that again for the Longfellow.

Sidewalks are WAAAAAY better. Widened enough that you don't risk getting flattened from behind by some BU undergrad who doesn't know that sidewalks aren't for bikes going 25 MPH. Lighting much better; was very dark and dank before. And no terrifying views of the Charles water through the deck big enough to swallow a baby! And it's so...gleaming white. The Storrow rail bridge, too...everything got a full sandblasting and paint job. Excellent restoration job; if this is setting the bar for the Longfellow restoration and the 3 bridges upstream we're going to have some absolutely gorgeous river crossings in 7 years when they're all done.

Wish they'd do something with the stairs to nowhere, like putting a fence-separated sidewalk under the overpass and better sidewalk overall to University Rd. It works on the other side where the Esplanade bike path hugs Storrow with no separation; bewildering that they've never done between the stairs. Still time for that...the stair paint job was very recent.

The park (such that it is) will get re-landscaped when they pull out the staging area. Underside of the bridge is still covered in tarp and has quite a bit of project work to do. They were prioritizing the deck. Of course, they re-landscaped the park barely 12 years ago and it disintegrated back into barren, trash-strewn, goose shit-contaminated wasteland in 4 years flat. I don't think that's changing until DCR gets its act together restoring the soil erosion disaster area on that whole side of the Charles between bridges. But try getting any improvements there without the Friends of the Charles Geese strapping a bomb to their chests and taking hostages (those people are insane).


The Comm Ave. crosswalk is on the Pike bridge, which is Pike property. It needs rehab because the deck is shit and every spring the B line gets slapped with a 10 MPH speed restriction because of potholes in the trackbed, but the Pike ownership means nobody can do anything to it until there's a MassHighway project with a Pike-specific line item. That's why the Comm Ave. makeover ends so abruptly right there.

[statler]

And it's so...gleaming white.

If I were a materials scientist I would spend all my off hours working on a way to keep concrete looking new permanently. It's so pretty when new but ages so, so terribly.

[whighlander]

The Comm Ave. crosswalk is on the Pike bridge, which is Pike property. It needs rehab because the deck is shit and every spring the B line gets slapped with a 10 MPH speed restriction because of potholes in the trackbed, but the Pike ownership means nobody can do anything to it until there's a MassHighway project with a Pike-specific line item. That's why the Comm Ave. makeover ends so abruptly right there.

F-Line -- I don't think Pike property relative to a bridge is operative -- the legislation which absorbed the Pike into the DOT did away with everything except the bonded indebtedness

i.e. Pike property is Commonwealth Property and the DOT can do as it pleases -- these days it's all up to the Div of Capital Management, as authorized by the Legislature, to buy, sell, lease, etc. any property which used to be controlled by the Mass Tunpike Authority

BOSTON‐CAMBRIDGE: DECK REPLACEMENT, B‐16‐007=C‐01‐004, ROUTE 2 OVER SOLDIERS FIELD ROAD & CHARLES RIVER (BU BRIDGE)

The project is scheduled to be completed in January 2012

the fulls schedulle of Charles River Bridge projects is at:
http://app1.massdot.state.ma.us/CharlesRiverBridges/downloads/Barchart_CRB%20Projects_080211.pdf

[whighlander]

So apparently there's not a thread for the BU bridge.

At least I couldn't find it.

Four years of construction, and no discussion? What is this?

The stairs to nowhere are looking better than ever. So inviting.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2817.jpg

Can't see the water below your feet anymore.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2818.jpg

More stairs to nowhere

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/March%202011%20Boston/IMG_2840.jpg


FIN

Nos correspondants de français wil really appreciate the existential aspect of the "Stairs to Nowhere" having been refurbished as part of the reconstruction of the BU Bridge

[BostonUrbEx]

IT'S A HINT! They're ready for the removal of the Storrow.


</Wishful thinking.>

[Charlie_mta]

Photo from 1931 shows why the stairs were originally constructed. It also shows what Storrow Drive would look like as a boulevard rather than the current expressway:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5286/5352237933_25c121a3bf_z.jpg

[whighlander]

Photo from 1931 shows why the stairs were originally constructed. It also shows what Storrow Drive would look like as a boulevard rather than the current expressway:


Charlie --- That picture at 80 is much closer to being from another Century than it is close to today

almost nothing in the picture is still as it was -- nor is most of it any more likely to reappear than are the stables on Newburry St.

[Charlie_mta]

Turning Storrow into a surface boulevard is definitely on the table. The current study underway by Mass DOT to add ramps to the Mass Pike would make it feasible.

Don't dismiss the past so readily. There's quite a bit to learn from it.

[Ron Newman]

At the time this photo was taken, Soldiers Field Road connected not to Storrow Drive (which didn't yet exist) but rather to Bay State Road.

[Lurker]

Turning Storrow into a surface boulevard is definitely on the table. The current study underway by Mass DOT to add ramps to the Mass Pike would make it feasible.

Don't dismiss the past so readily. There's quite a bit to learn from it.

I don't understand why the Charles' banks aren't narrowed to adjust the roadway and more parkland added along the lines of the Hatch Shell to Harvard Bridge. Many of the awkward access issues could easily be remedied if the state wasn't so shy about further encroachment on what is already a rather artificial waterway.

Adding a third one way (road) bridge at Dartmouth or Berkley Street could also work wonders at calming Mass Ave and more equitably distributing traffic throughout the South End and Central Cambridge. Throw in Ralph Cram's Botolph's Island proposal, as a means to to auction off development rights, for exclusive real estate in the middle of the Charles, and there's all the money needed to pay for these projects.

Boston & Cambridge's bridges could be every bit as beautiful and useful as connections as those in most river centric European cities, but they are treated like bastard step children for some unfathomable reason.

[Charlie_mta]

I don't understand why the Charles' banks aren't narrowed to adjust the roadway and more parkland added along the lines of the Hatch Shell to Harvard Bridge. Many of the awkward access issues could easily be remedied if the state wasn't so shy about further encroachment on what is already a rather artificial waterway.


Flooding could be a reason not to further reduce the size of the Charles River basin. The smaller the basin, the less capacity to accomodate high rainfalls.

[Ron Newman]

Also, the area between the Longfellow and Mass. Ave bridges is well established as a place for sailing. Another bridge, or an island, would radically change this use.

[Tombstoner]

Boston & Cambridge's bridges could be every bit as beautiful and useful as connections as those in most river centric European cities, but they are treated like bastard step children for some unfathomable reason.

Yes, Boston's bridges are not the architectural statements they should be with the exception of the Longfellow. It is a shame that such relatively low-hanging fruit (beautiful bridges, significant fountains, etc.) that would quickly make Boston so much classier, distinctive and design-centric go ignored. Of course it costs money, but as Daley proved in Chicago, infrastructural beautification pays for itself in terms of quality of life which translates into greater appeal to businesses. Huge swathes of Boston look derelict and make topographic advantages looks like eyesores. Extending the Esplanade on the Boston side as well as creating a Cambridge riverfront sprinkled with newsstands, public boating, and coffee kiosks seems like such an obvious move that would instantly draw crowds. Plowing through the clusterf*** mess the Zakim presides over and connect the Charles to the Greenway seems like another relatively easy thing to do that would kills so many birds with one stone.
As for the comparison with Europe, I don't think US cities know what do do with riverfront--I'm hard pressed to think of any of them that really nail it (Pittsburgh being a particularly egregious offender).

[bdurden]

^Washington.

[HenryAlan]

The problem with the U.S. approach to urban rivers is that our efforts gravitate toward nature and flood control.

[statler]

How silly.

[whighlander]

Yes, Boston's bridges are not the architectural statements they should be with the exception of the Longfellow. It is a shame that such relatively low-hanging fruit (beautiful bridges, significant fountains, etc.) that would quickly make Boston so much classier, distinctive and design-centric go ignored. .... Extending the Esplanade on the Boston side as well as creating a Cambridge riverfront sprinkled with newsstands, public boating, and coffee kiosks seems like such an obvious move that would instantly draw crowds. Plowing through the clusterf*** mess the Zakim presides over and connect the Charles to the Greenway seems like another relatively easy thing to do that would kills so many birds with one stone.
As for the comparison with Europe, I don't think US cities know what do do with riverfront--I'm hard pressed to think of any of them that really nail it (Pittsburgh being a particularly egregious offender).

Tomb -- Someone perhaps Charlie said something about learning from history:
1) Boston is already one of the most engineered cities in the world -- see for examples the book -- "Gaining Ground: A History of Landmaking in Boston" by Nancy S. Seaholes
2) the Charles in particular is entirely artificial from Watertown Dam to Boston Harbor -- see for example the book -- "Inventing the Charles River" by Karl Haglund
3) the filling of the Charles for Storrow Drive and even the expansion of the Esplanade was very contentious even involving the widdow of James Jackson Storrow of the epoymous drive -- http://www.esplanadeassociation.org/park/history.html

4) I don't think the Universities who control the Cambridge side want anything less formal than the existing boat houses and sailing pavilions -- they view the Charles as their private country side

5) This view also prevailed on the Boston side in the late 19th Century (original NIMBYs)
from http://esplanadeassociation.org/park/documents/CLR.pdf
" In 1852 a legislative commission was established to determine the future of the Back Bay. It recommended curtailment of industrial development and established a plan for filling the area, beginning in 1857.

Streets were laid out in a grid-like pattern and over the next three decades, the area was gradually filled and developed, moving from east to west. The granite seawall adjacent to Back Street (the alley behind the Beacon Street houses) formed the northern edge of the newly created Back Bay neighborhood. While the Back Bay was primarily residential, the Beacon Hill Flat and West End waterfronts to the east were more industrial in the nineteenth century, with warehouses, docks and a network of bridges leading to East Cambridge.

The Charles River remained tidal and polluted, a source of increasing irritation to Back Bay residents, particularly at low tide. In the 1870s there were numerous proposals to turn the entire shore of the lower Charles River into an embankment with walks, trees, a bridle path and a carriageway. Many were based on European precedents, particularly the Alster Basin in Hamburg, Germany.

...Once the report was completed Eliot refined his design ideas for the lower basin. On the Boston side he envisioned a continuous seawall with “promenades and plazas - broad gravel-ways well shaded by trees afford[ing] pleasant out-of-door halls where crowds may mingle in an easy social life . . .” He also proposed “. . . concert grounds, outdoor halls, nurseries, playgrounds, gymnasia, and gardens” which could be combined so that no individual feature would take more than a small space and also “a roadway which will serve as a pleasure drive and also as an approach to the buildings on the abutting estates.”.....In 1894, a report on the Charles River was issued jointly by the Metropolitan Park Commissioners and the State Board of Health.... The report determined that the pollution of the river was indeed severe enough to endanger public health and recommended that the lower section of the river be dammed near the harbor, transforming it from a tidal estuary to a basin with a permanent water level. The report also recommended an extra row of houses north of the seawall behind the Beacon Street houses. The rationale was that the houses along the river should face the river, not turn their back to it as Beacon Street houses did. Beacon Street residents strongly opposed additional houses that would block their view of the river and eventually the proposal was dropped. Eliot was an articulate and effective spokesman for improvements to the Charles River basin but he died in 1897 before most of his ideas were implemented.....Once the concept for the Charles River dam had been established, civic activists such as James Jackson Storrow campaigned to gather support for the project. In 1903 the state legislature authorized construction of the dam and established the Charles River Basin Commission to oversee the project, which also included a strip of parkland that was 300’ wide between Longfellow Bridge and Brimmer Street and 100’ wide west of Brimmer Street. A seven acre park (where Boston Museum of Science is currently located) was also included upstream of the dam. While Charlesbank was visually a part of the Esplanade, it remained city parkland. The row of houses north of Beacon Street was deemed an auxiliary issue and was omitted from the proposal....The new parkland was created as part of the dam and conduit project, using material generated by the dredging to create new land north of the seawall. The Beacon Hill section (right below) was the widest, with up to 300’ of newly filled land. The Back Bay section (left below) was 100’ wide.....On July 1, 1910, the Charles River Basin Commission, which had been responsible for construction of the dam and associated parkland, turned the Boston parkland over to the Metropolitan Park Commission, which was to operate the dam and riverfront park.

The Cambridge riverfront remained under the jurisdiction of the Cambridge Park Commission and Charlesbank remained under the jurisdiction of the Boston Park Commission...in 1911 Guy Lowell, the architect and landscape architect for the Basin Commission, prepared planting plans for a border along the north side of the Back Street wall that included small trees such as dogwoods and hawthorns, as well as many species of flowering shrubs.... shade shelters were added because the area was hot in summer..... By 1909 the two gatehouses at the lock were in place, as was the Fens gatehouse at Charlesgate. Union Boat Club was located adjacent to Back Street. There were also two recreation buildings at Charlesbank, one for men and one for women. The Tea House (also known as the Refreshment Building) was built near Berkeley Street in 1913..... By 1912 the area was considerably more pleasant than it had been, but still far from the lively promenade that Eliot had envisioned. Back Street remained a private alley rather than a public parkway and Beacon Street residents made it clear that they preferred to have their view kept open rather than blocked by trees. Although there were boat landings, the river was not heavily used.... Shurtleff praised the Esplanade as an improvement but argued that the basin “must be made infinitely finer and more serviceable to a recreation-seeking public.... A legislative commission issued a report in 1928 that characterized the basin as “unsatisfying and disappointing . . . began with a history of the basin and a summary of three issues that were essential to the improvement of the basin. The first was improvements to the banks of the river. The second was the completion of the Charles River parkway system, with uninterrupted parkways on both sides of the Charles River from the dam to Watertown Square. Third, they recommended that the river should be made safer and more attractive for boating and water sports. Specific recommendations that pertained to the Esplanade included: Widening and Extending the Esplanade.... from Charlesbank to Charlesgate and extending the park further west to the Cottage Farm (Boston University) Bridge. Dredged material from the river was to be used to create the new parkland, which would vary from 300’ to 400’ wide east of Charlesgate and be narrower to the west. The land was to be brought down to the water’s edge and have pebbled beaches rather than a seawall. The edge was also to be gently undulating rather than straight. The new area would be covered with loam, planted with shrubs and trees, and have numerous walkways....

Playgrounds and Bathing Beaches – The park at Charlesbank was to be expanded from 9.6 to 15.4 acres and was to have a wading pool, a swimming pool and bathhouses. Although swimming was occurring in some parts of the basin, the report expressed concern about the safety of the river for swimming as overflow sewage was sometimes flowed into the river...Landing and Plaza – The report proposed a landing for boats and a decorative plaza with terraces and fountain where people could congregate and out door concerts of “high grade music” could be given....Parkways....The dual goal was to create a parkway along the river and to alleviate congestion on city streets. The proposal was to place the parkway at least 150’ from the rear of the houses and to create additional parkland on the water side that was roughly 200’ wide, double the width of the existing parkland. The commission also suggested that the parkway be depressed below grade so that it would not be visible from the rest of the Esplanade... Mrs. Storrow offered $1,000,000 towards the beautification and improvement of the Charles River Basin. The only stipulation was that the money be used in connection with legislative appropriations to carry out a comprehensive plan for the beautification and improvement of the basin with public funds. The total cost of the work was estimated at $4,250,000.... The commission strongly supported the continuous parkway but there were many opponents, including Helen Storrow, so the parkway was dropped but the legislature authorized the remainder of the basin project....Construction was ongoing through 1936, with much of the fill provided by subway construction elsewhere in Boston.....In the Back Bay section of the park, the width of the parkland had been doubled to 200’. The walkway previously located along the water’s edge was now the central path and there was a new walkway along the water’s edge. In 1934, 1,060 trees were planted between the Boston University Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge in accordance with Shurcliff’s design... the new lagoon between Exeter and Fairfield Streets. It created a quiet shallow area that was used for sailing of model boats in summer and ice skating in winter. Bridges at either end provided pedestrian access to the breakwater that formed the lagoon... overlooks at Dartmouth and Gloucester Streets on either side of the lagoon. These were rectangular plazas planted with a bosc of trees and with a classically detailed granite edged balustrade at the water’s edge and docks in the water....When the Storrow Memorial Embankment was dedicated in 1936, the parkland between the Longfellow Bridge and the Boston University Bridge had more than doubled in size....Significant changes occurred at Charlesbank as well but it remained under the jurisdiction of the Boston Park Department. Major buildings in the Esplanade by the late 1940s included the two gatehouses at Charlesbank (1908); the Fens Gatehouse at Charlesgate (1909); the Tea House near Berkley Street (built 1913, demolished 1950) the Union Boat House (moved to Boat Haven 1930s); the Recreation Building (1939, demolished 1950); the Hatch Shell (1941); and Community Boating (1941)...... In 1946 the Metropolitan District Commission was directed to prepare plans, estimates and specifications for the construction of a parkway along the Storrow Memorial Embankment from Embankment Road to Soldiers Field Road. Two years later, the Metropolitan Area Highway Plan wascompleted, with the new parkway (later named Storrow Drive) as an important component. There was strong legislative opposition to construction of a parkway along the Esplanade but ultimately the bill passed. The intent was that most of the road was to be below the grade of the Esplanade and that new parkland was to be created using the fill from the road. Ironically, the new road was named James J. Storrow Memorial Drive, which many observers felt was particularly inappropriate given the Storrow family’s history of interest in creating parkland along the Back Bay and Helen Storrow’s earlier opposition to the road.

The new highway was located immediately north of Back Street on the 100’ strip of filled land that had been created between 1907 and 1909. Near Berkeley Street a tunnel was constructed so that land did not have to be taken from the popular Music Oval. The project was massive in scale and disrupted the entire Esplanade for several years"

[Ron Newman]

If you want to see a city that has done riverfronts right, check out Providence.

[Tombstoner]

thanks for providing the background, whighlander. I knew the Charles Basin is completely engineered, but that seems all the more reason to make it conform to some significant vision. I think it is one of the best things about Boston, but it's psychologically (as well as geographically) peripheral to both Boston and Cambridge, yet paradoxically at ground zero of Greater Boston. I understand that the universities control the Cambridge side, but I would have thunk that Harvard and MIT would benefit greatly by a more "ammenitied" riverfront--not chock full of "features" but more than a footpath--more interesting landscaping, seating etc. (like a mirror image of the Esplanade). And can we get a newstand, dammit? Maybe I'm just getting in touch with my inner "old man" but I want to shuffle around in a cardigan and beret and have a cup of coffee as I read the NYT Review of Books (and tell kids they'll "break their necks" skateboarding).

It was also intersesting to read that that lagoon on the Esplanade was intended for ice-skating. Is is used for that?

[F-Line to Dudley]

Photo from 1931 shows why the stairs were originally constructed. It also shows what Storrow Drive would look like as a boulevard rather than the current expressway:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5286/5352237933_25c121a3bf_z.jpg

That's actually Soldiers Field Rd. in its pre-Storrow configuration. The roadway used to end in the Charlesgate vicinity where the narrow portion of the Esplanade gave way to the wide portion. Storrow was constructed between it and Embankment Rd./Charles Circle a couple decades later, wreaking its path of destruction across the Esplanade. That's when SFR was upgraded to a parkway, and it's why on maps and signage the road's name mysteriously changes at some indeterminate place around BU.

Can see in the photo there that it used to be pedestrian friendly enough to have regular sidewalks, and that's why it was never designed to have parkland buffer between it and the riverbank. Doesn't looks like it was ever expanded when they parkway'd it...always 4-lane width, only the median guardrail and upstream underpasses installed.


SFR west of the Pike does serve useful purpose hitting areas further away from the Pike. It's underutilized for that purpose, so would be nice if it were easier to get to from the exit without having to endure the searing ass pain of the Cambridge St. lights, and if there was another Pike exit at Leo Birmingham Parkway feeding the other end of it. I'd be tickled if they nuked Storrow from the face of the earth and just left SFR from the Pike west with a long frontage road to Comm Ave. tucked underneath the Pike viaduct. And buried the roller coaster portion between River St. and Western Ave. in a full cut, centered the frontage road on top of the roof boulevard-style, and opened up some more parkland and less terrifying ped crossing while simplifying the traffic patterns and improving the geometry of the curves on the Pike onramp turnout so trucks are no longer at risk for tipping over. And shrink it back from 6 to 4 lanes, put sane acceleration/deceleration lanes in their place for the exits, and an actual shoulder lane west of JFK St. Plus consolidate the ridiculously overbuilt and over-wide Eliot Bridge exit/intersection into something narrower-profile, esp. on the westbound side where there's all that wasted median space better used as additional riverbank land.

[PaulC]

thanks for providing the background, whighlander. I knew the Charles Basin is completely engineered, but that seems all the more reason to make it conform to some significant vision. I think it is one of the best things about Boston, but it's psychologically (as well as geographically) peripheral to both Boston and Cambridge, yet paradoxically at ground zero of Greater Boston. I understand that the universities control the Cambridge side, but I would have thunk that Harvard and MIT would benefit greatly by a more "ammenitied" riverfront--not chock full of "features" but more than a footpath--more interesting landscaping, seating etc. (like a mirror image of the Esplanade). And can we get a newstand, dammit? Maybe I'm just getting in touch with my inner "old man" but I want to shuffle around in a cardigan and beret and have a cup of coffee as I read the NYT Review of Books (and tell kids they'll "break their necks" skateboarding).

You might find this interesting:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/projects/masterPlans.htm

[F-Line to Dudley]

You might find this interesting:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/projects/masterPlans.htm

Man, even the soil erosion mitigation in those plans would make a world of difference without touching a single roadway. The MIT riverbank needs to be declared an environmental disaster area, and so does the Greenough Blvd. bank asphyxiated by all that invasive-species stalk growth. I live right by Fresh Pond, and it's amazing to see how the Cambridge Park Dept. uses that reservation as its own personal science lab trying new environmental engineering techniques on a shoestring budget. The improvements they make each year are impressive. DCR could totally do the same thing if it engaged brain and talked to the outfits who want to do this. Hell, the universities alone would probably kick in grants from its environmental science programs if they got access to science-lab up the Charles banks with new mitigation tactics like Fresh Pond encourages. A major urban river in need of major environmental and access rehab is an absolutely perfect petri dish for where the career money is for students in that field.

[PaulC]

I live right by Fresh Pond, and it's amazing to see how the Cambridge Park Dept. uses that reservation as its own personal science lab trying new environmental engineering techniques on a shoestring budget.

"F" could you start a thread on that or at least post some links?

[Tombstoner]

You might find this interesting:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/projects/masterPlans.htm

Very interesting. Thanks.

[F-Line to Dudley]

"F" could you start a thread on that or at least post some links?

http://www2.cambridgema.gov/cwd/freshpond.cfm

Click the restoration project links and Master Plan for overview of everything. In the 7 years I've been living in North Cambridge and jogging it in the morning, they've pretty much gone around the entire golf course perimeter and the pond side of the path opposite the RR tracks doing full restoration. Only a few crappy areas near the Concord Ave. retirement home and on the hilly side near Huron Ave. left to stabilize from soil erosion and they're done with the perimeter. Then they have to tackle the hill in the middle, dirt path along that end of the pond, and lookout points. All of which are really badly eroded. Difference between restored and non-restored areas is night and day. If they did nothing at all the drinking water quality in Cambridge wouldn't be so swell, that's for sure. Significant turnaround in the last 5-7 years they've been in the midst of this Master Plan.

Black Nook, that cruddy dead old pond in the northwest corner along Concord Ave., is the latest project. They haven't taken the fences down yet so I haven't gotten a look at it, but there's a new walking dock along the waterfront and fresh plantings everywhere. And I think they'll be working the opposite ends of the pond non-accessible to the public over the next couple years to pull out all the tree branches rotting in the pond and all the other crud grasses choking it of oxygen.

They also redid the eroding hillside in the southeast corner next to the golf course clubhouse this summer, ripping out all the invasive species, lining the ground with this biodegradeable burlap mesh to get the new topsoil and native grass plantings to hold, and regrading the hillside in this earthen stairs form to keep the erosion from returning. They're now fixing the drainage along the path (delayed because the storms took out a shitload of trees along the reservation).

Past projects included rehabbing Little Fresh Pond, which was dead and algae-choked for years. Lusitania Field, on the exit path to the rotary, was an amazing job. Desolate sand pit that they regraded, trucked in topsoil, did native plantings, and turned into this lush grassy swamp meadow that blooms thick with wildflowers in spring, has lots of rare birds (incl. birdhouses set up for spring breeding), and beehives planted in these plastic bins they have set up. One of the most pleasant walks in and around the city. They're doing especially good work getting all the invasive plant species out of there and replanting with purely native plants, which hold the soil a ton better than the crap grass that's completely decimated every urban waterfront.

Really worth a walk. They have info placards set up on the active projects showing what they're doing, and the restored hillside still looks fresh enough to see what they did with the burlap lining (also held its own through the storms while the unrestored areas are much worse for wear). They aren't exactly flush with budget either, so a lot of this is getting by on creativity, lots of volunteer labor, and grants to do sciency restoration experiments. DCR could soooo implement this to the hilt being a much higher-profile target administering a ton more urban land, but being a state agency they're stuck in state agency sloth and indifference.

[whighlander]

Man, even the soil erosion mitigation in those plans would make a world of difference without touching a single roadway. The MIT riverbank needs to be declared an environmental disaster area,

F-Line -- the MIT area between the longfellow and harvard bridges was redone in the pastfew years and its a tremendous improvement

They got rid of some parking (not good overall) -- but widened the pedestrian / passive rec strip between the road and the River front wall

I think that the best next step would be to enourage some year round coffeee shops to open onto the river area down by the Longfelllow and up near to the BU Bridge (abut 10 minute walk apart)

[F-Line to Dudley]

F-Line -- the MIT area between the longfellow and harvard bridges was redone in the pastfew years and its a tremendous improvement

They got rid of some parking (not good overall) -- but widened the pedestrian / passive rec strip between the road and the River front wall

I think that the best next step would be to enourage some year round coffeee shops to open onto the river area down by the Longfelllow and up near to the BU Bridge (abut 10 minute walk apart)

I was referring to the BU Bridge-Mass Ave. portion. The soil and river bank grading are completely gone, and DCR hasn't touched it in the whole 15 years I've been living here. The Charles swallows more than its fair share of road salt and goose shit washout on that stretch with how shot that riverbank is. Plus sidewalks are totally deficient and the joggers have had to wear their own path deep into the riverbank to get by. It's a catastrophe. Needs major remediation work, and I'm surprised DEP has allowed it to persist for so long in this condition amid the overall long-term attention they've been giving to improving the Charles' water quality.


I'd agree the Mass Ave.-Longfellow portion got a ton better with the reconstruction 8 or so years ago. Especially the sidewalk on Mem. Dr. where the road juts out over the water. That used to be a treacherously narrow walk with very little protection from high-speed traffic. Soil's also in much better shape on that stretch without the joggers having to run off-sidewalk any longer.

[whighlander]

I was referring to the BU Bridge-Mass Ave. portion. The soil and river bank grading are completely gone, and DCR hasn't touched it in the whole 15 years I've been living here. The Charles swallows more than its fair share of road salt and goose shit washout on that stretch with how shot that riverbank is. Plus sidewalks are totally deficient and the joggers have had to wear their own path deep into the riverbank to get by. It's a catastrophe. Needs major remediation work, and I'm surprised DEP has allowed it to persist for so long in this condition amid the overall long-term attention they've been giving to improving the Charles' water quality.


I'd agree the Mass Ave.-Longfellow portion got a ton better with the reconstruction 8 or so years ago. Especially the sidewalk on Mem. Dr. where the road juts out over the water. That used to be a treacherously narrow walk with very little protection from high-speed traffic. Soil's also in much better shape on that stretch without the joggers having to run off-sidewalk any longer.

FLine -- we're in agreement on that

Another place where there needs to be work is the foot paths around and onto the Longfellow Bridge from the "Cambridge Esplanade"

[PaulC]

http://www2.cambridgema.gov/cwd/freshpond.cfm
Click the restoration project links and Master Plan for overview of everything.

Thanks, looking forward to reading it.

[Kahta]

IT'S A HINT! They're ready for the removal of the Storrow.


</Wishful thinking.>

So all the traffic can be dumped onto Comm Ave and beacon street?

[Lurker]

So all the traffic can be dumped onto Comm Ave and beacon street?

The belief is that added ramps to I-90 will eliminate the need for Storrow Drive for most traffic in that area.

[Lurker]

Blatantly lifted from Universal Hub:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66929587@N03/sets/72157628511882987/with/6549117489/

An architect weighs in:
http://bikinginheels-cycler.blogspot.com/2011/12/hooray.html

More:
http://bostonbiker.org/2011/12/21/livable-streets-bu-bridge-update/

I imagine Ron Newman will have a report, photos, video, WBZ-TV cameo shortly.

[vanshnookenraggen]

I wish it was separated somehow even if it was just by plastic bollards.

[datadyne007]

I wish it was separated somehow even if it was just by plastic bollards.

Yeah, the first thing I noticed was The RIDE swerving into that lane.

[Ron Newman]

Actually I haven't been over there yet. Maybe tomorrow, especially if this warm weather holds up.

[jass]

Road striping being done in late December?

By God, the apocalypse really is here.



^The ride vehicle appears to be doing nothing wrong, the lane is striped at that point, which means "all are welcome!"

[Boston02124]

today from Camb http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/ric02124/2012/aaea9215.jpg

[statler]

OK, why are they repainting the bridge already? Was the tan-colored paint that was on there just a primer?

[Boston02124]

I think it was just primer,and now will be painted green again?

[ant8904]

Looks like it. It too bad. I remember the Dean of Students mentioned that he was trying to push Boston to paint it red. I think it would have looked nice.