North Bank Bridge Pedestrian Walkway

[Ron Newman]

Now that I've seen that graphic again, I think it's just as well that these got delayed until after Spaulding is vacated and demolished.

[jass]

That graphic isnt showing the proposed bridge between north point park and the museum, under them green line viaduct

[cozzyd]

Is there a plan to have pedestrian bridge over Lechemere Canal from the MoS? It would do wonders for walking along the river continuity.

[briv]

There were plans for several additional bridges that have yet to be realized. Here are a couple of images from the Big Dig days:



This is a rendering showing the planned pedestrian bridge spanning the inlet between the North Point Park and MOS:

[Arlington]

Originally Posted by briv

There were plans for several additional bridges that have yet to be realized...[including]... the planned pedestrian bridge spanning the inlet between the North Point Park and MOS

The North Point Inlet Bridge and the bridge over the tracks at NS (on the NS side) seem very hard to justify from any view but the most Disney-fied urban amusement park urbanist view. Or worse, they function in many ways like an urban freeway system for walking...an expensive bypass for people who would otherwise be enlivening other thoroughfares.

I'd rather spend the money on trees and sidewalks on shore.

The only not-yet-realized bridge that actually has a transportation justification would be one (drawspan?) crossing the New Charles River Basin behind North Station, which would really make the North Point stuff walkable from North Station, and obviate the need for shuttle buses that run today, and create real work-and-play connectivity.

The North Point Inlet Bridge raises the question: do leisurely strolls need to take the shortest routes possible? It's like the old joke of the guy who gets into the taxi and says: "Twice around the park, my good man...and step on it!" If you're out for a harborside bike or stroll, is it too much to ask you to walk at the harbor's side...around the North Point Inlet on existing terra firma? Also, keeping pedestrians massed together seems a better urbanist thing than dissipating them, half on a bypass bridge, half on shore.

As for a bridge over the North Station tracks, admittedly, we don't want people *biking*through the North Station concourse, but it's not a bad place to walk and has amenities and excitement of the kind that Urbanists should he hailing and connecting...not bypassing with an expensive bridge.

[BostonUrbEx]

I don't understand why the bridge from North Point Park to Nashua St Park is so awkward. I also don't understand how it's going to work unless a) the grade is ridiculous, b) there's lots of stairs, or c) it has it's own lifting span/draw. They should just make it flush along the track leads and attach a walkway onto the existing draw somehow. That's the only way I can see it ever happening.

[Arlington]

Originally Posted by BostonUrbEx

I don't understand why the bridge from North Point Park to Nashua St Park is so awkward. I also don't understand how it's going to work unless a) the grade is ridiculous, b) there's lots of stairs, or c) it has it's own lifting span/draw. They should just make it flush along the track leads and attach a walkway onto the existing draw somehow. That's the only way I can see it ever happening.

It looks to me like they were somehow going to re-use the piers (from a removed rail drawspan) that are already in the river's channel at that point, and it looks like they picture it being a draw bridge (as Ron Newman remembers).

[whighlander]

Originally Posted by Arlington

It looks to me like they were somehow going to re-use the piers (from a removed rail drawspan) that are already in the river's channel at that point, and it looks like they picture it being a draw bridge (as Ron Newman remembers).

Arlington -- I never saw the need for those other bridges

you can cross the Charles at Paul Revere Landing via the Dam then you proceed through the park until you get to the one bridge which is needed to cross over the tracks -- once again you are on Terra firma and can walk all the way through NorthPoint Park

By the way -- while searching for some updated information on the Big Dig parks I came across a fascinating pdf document which can be downloaded


BOSTON
Planner’s Guide
Prepared by the Massachusetts
Chapter of the American Planning
Association for the APA National
Planning Conference
Boston, Massachusetts
April 9-12, 2011


here's the URL
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...MQa7iKIznLIvDg

The Boston Planner’s Guide is especially targeted to city planners and those who are
interested in planning. It includes several do-it-yourself walking tours, each one-
to-two hours long that reveal the planning story of Boston as well as interesting
parts of Cambridge and Brookline. The tours emphasize built environments created
by planning such as the new Greenway parks built above the new I-93 tunnel,
the Harborwalk, and the “high spine” tall buildings in the Back Bay, a deliberate
planning policy to focus new development in a corridor and to protect the historic
residential sections of the adjacent South End and Back Bay. Other sections of
Boston are also referenced and include Beacon Hill and historic Charlestown, for
which there is ample information elsewhere.
The walking tours begin and end near subway stations. A small transit map is
included in the Guide. The tour maps indicate the transit stations, a marked walking
route and highlight interesting sights along the way. Several tours are contiguous;
the end of one tour is near the beginning of the next. You can plan to spend an
hour or a full day wandering the streets at your own pace. You will see and learn
a lot about how planning in Boston and its neighbors influenced the way they look



the document includes a bunch of walking tours highlighting what the BRA thought were "highlights" of successful planning -- the "Two Cities " is probably the most relevant to this thread

WALKING TOURS

Back Bay
Jamaica Plain
Downtown
East Boston
Fenway
Navy Yard
Chinatown
Greenway
Fort Point
South End
Longwood Medical Area
Kendall/MIT
Two Cities
Brookline

OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS OF INTEREST
Hynes Convention Center
The locations of the walking tours are
indicated by Blue numbers and the other
neighborhoods of interest are indicated by
Green capital letters on the above map. The
Hynes Convention Center location is indicated
by a pink dot.

APA National Planning Conference 2011 Boston Planner’s Guide

Beacon Hill & Boston Common 48
Government Center & Fanueil Hall 48
Charlestown Historic District 48
North End 49
Harvard University & Square 49
Central Square & University Park 49

[jass]

Originally Posted by Arlington

The North Point Inlet Bridge and the bridge over the tracks at NS (on the NS side) seem very hard to justify from any view but the most Disney-fied urban amusement park urbanist view. Or worse, they function in many ways like an urban freeway system for walking...an expensive bypass for people who would otherwise be enlivening other thoroughfares.


The North Point Inlet Bridge raises the question: do leisurely strolls need to take the shortest routes possible? .

As someone who enjoys taking dates to that park.....yes.

The current walk sucks and leads to "where the fuck are we going? Are we there yet? Im scared". An express bridge would alleviate those concerns.

[briv]

I think these additional bridges are absolutely needed for this park. It's a very nice little park, but it's extremely isolated and a huge pain in the ass to get to. The more connections it has, the more accessible it is, the more successful it will be. The connection to N. Station is especially important I think.

[Ron Newman]

Yes, the bridge over the Charles next to the tracks would be a drawbridge, operated together with the adjoining rail drawbridge.

[Arlington]

Originally Posted by briv

I think these additional bridges are absolutely needed for this park. It's a very nice little park, but it's extremely isolated and a huge pain in the ass to get to. The more connections it has, the more accessible it is, the more successful it will be.

I'd agree it needs better connectivity, but I think the Museum/Causeway bridge would play the same destructive role that freeways and skywalks play: they deaden street life and split the audience for services that cater to pedestrians, and ultimately make places sterile and uninviting.

For the same amount of money as a bridge, you could probably make access more pleasant and increase usage of the park by improving street-level amenities between the Lechmere T (current & future), the Museum of Science and the EF building(s). Picture, for example. an arcade covered with vines, renovating the old MDC stable/garage, or even food trucks.

[whighlander]

Originally Posted by Arlington

I'd agree it needs better connectivity, but I think the Museum/Causeway bridge would play the same destructive role that freeways and skywalks play: they deaden street life and split the audience for services that cater to pedestrians, and ultimately make places sterile and uninviting.

For the same amount of money as a bridge, you could probably make access more pleasant and increase usage of the park by improving street-level amenities between the Lechmere T (current & future), the Museum of Science and the EF building(s). Picture, for example. an arcade covered with vines, renovating the old MDC stable/garage, or even food trucks.

Arl -- "For the same amount of money as a bridge" -- surely you jest -- the same amout of money as even a pedestrian footbridge over the Charles is going to be several M$ - only renovating the stables would be comparable in cost

I'd go for the food trucks -- they shouldn't cost the DCR anything -- they might even bring in some revenues

[Arlington]

Originally Posted by CSTH

I was up close in personal there an hour ago; that sucker will be open by Evacuation Day

With E-Day just around the corner, I'm hoping you're right...how is it looking here in the 2nd week of March?

[BeeLine]

Originally Posted by Arlington

With E-Day just around the corner, I'm hoping you're right...how is it looking here in the 2nd week of March?

Went under it Friday, 3/9, and the bridge looks good to go, but the park (Paul Revere Park, Charlestown) is still under construction. Not sure if they will open the bridge until this park is ready.

[Arlington]

Any news? Its painful to have such unseasonably warm days and to picture the bridge not in use.

[BostonUrbEx]

Originally Posted by Arlington

Any news? Its painful to have such unseasonably warm days and to picture the bridge not in use.

Wasn't open yesterday. It looks like they may still be landscaping off each end of the bridge. They need to hurry it up, just open it.



It looked like they may have been prepping to begin work on the skate park, though. Any know what's up with it?

[Arlington]

Charles River Skatepark, long delayed, now set to open in 2013

This story from the Boston.com quotes Renata von Tscharner, the president of the Charles River Conservancy as saying
1) The bridge will be open by June
2) The skate park will break ground in March and be done 9 months later ("by 2013")

[whighlander]

Originally Posted by Arlington

Charles River Skatepark, long delayed, now set to open in 2013

This story from the Boston.com quotes Renata von Tscharner, the president of the Charles River Conservancy as saying
1) The bridge will be open by June
2) The skate park will break ground in March and be done 9 months later ("by 2013")

Arlington -- Not Quite on the timing of the skatepark

Charles River Skatepark, long delayed, now set to open in 2013
February 14, 2012 11:48 AM
By Johanna Kaiser, Town Correspondent
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/...ark_still.html

The Charles River Skatepark, a proposed 40,000 square foot skatepark under the shadows of loop ramps to the Leonard P. Zakim Bridge, has faced a number of setbacks and changes over the past decade, but could be ready to open by the end of next year.

“We plan to start preloading the ground this spring
and complete the drawings and permitting for a construction starting date in March 2013.
The construction takes 9 months, which brings us to an opening date of December 2013,”
Renata von Tscharner, president of the Charles River Conservancy, said in an e-mail.

==> Opening date of Skatepark of April 2014 or perhaps more realistically June 2014

[Ron Newman]

You can't yet cross this, at least from the Charlestown side where I looked. A gate blocks the way, and would not be easy to climb over or around.